One Night
by iluvaqt
Summary: Complete. Post Season 1 AU. Logan finds a mysterious doctor. By consulting her, Logan uncovers secrets that endanger them all.
1. Dr Tate?

CHAPTER ONE 

**Disclaimer:** I don't have ownership of any of these characters. They belong to their respective creators, including Cameron/Eglee Productions and 20th Century Fox Studios. The story is not for sale or resale it is written solely for _Dark Angel_ fans. No money is being made from the use of these characters.  
**Summary:** Logan goes to a Manticore doctor for help.  
**Spoilers/Timeframe:** Occurs after "Designate This".  
**Rating:** R  
**A/N:** This is my first DA story and so if it's terrible, then I'm sorry. If anyone wants to give me feedback negative/positive or a new story idea please email me lil_angel4@yahoo.com. Also I'm not that crash on scientific or character details so bear with me and let your imagination run a little. 

***** 

The field facing her was an ocean of green, tall grass seemed to go on forever. A slow breeze blew over it all and from where she stood the hills looked like brushed velvet. She sighed, here it was so peaceful, anyone who knew the life she lived before would understand how special living here could be. She was free. At 23 years of age, she'd experienced more than most people did in a lifetime. 

Most of the memories she had, she wished she be able to forget but it seemed impossible to do. Especially at night, when it was pitch black and the only sound that broke the void of darkness was the sound of the ocean. Sleep would never claim her, whether it was because of nightmares or her genes, she couldn't guess. She never seemed to be able to close her eyes and really sleep. She stood letting the cool air touch her face. Breathing in the sea she closed her eyes. 

******  
Croan studied the woman standing on the hilltop. She had long dark hair that hung loosely tied in a braid. She was slender is figure and wore a floral sundress. A wide brim straw hat shaded most of her face from view but he saw her full red lips. They were shaped like a bow. He put the binoculars down, looking at the picture again. The young girl in the photo was no more than 12--hair shaved to an inch from her skull, cold brown eyes, those eyes could kill and they belonged to one of Manticore's top assassins. If he were an ordinary man, he would never believe that the woman he was watching was a trained killer. Even with everything he knew he struggled to accept that this woman was his mission. 

Maybe their tip off had been mistaken. Whether that line of thought was correct or not he wouldn't question the board. They wanted this particular X5 back and there was not denying the urgency in their orders. Croan turned to address his waiting team. 

"We wait. She's not going anywhere. I want to scout the area first, then we move in." 

******  
Logan was crawling out of bed. Nothing about getting up seemed at all positive. Every morning he faced that fact that if he didn't have this exoskeleton, he'd still be stuck in that dreaded wheelchair. He was grateful that he could walk even if it wasn't on his own, but somehow he still felt completely vulnerable. He looked out the window; gloomy grey clouds had begun to mass over the city. 

"Great," he muttered, "absolutely typical." 

At least the weather was going to match his mood. He showered quickly and headed to the kitchen to start breakfast. Nothing complicated today, hash browns and salad would suffice. He gathered the ingredients from the fridge and freezer, dumping them on the bench. He was about to heat the oven when his phone rang. Looking around for the handset, he couldn't locate it. The machine picked up the call. 

"You've reached the number you dialed…Beep." 

"Logan," a mechanical voice filtered through, "I have some information that might interest you…." The called ended. 

It was Sebastian. He almost never called, come to think of it, Logan couldn't remember if he ever had. Preparing breakfast and eating in record time, he scribbled a note for Bling and raced over to see Sebastian as quickly as was possible. His curiosity building with every passing minute, what could be so important? 

******  
"It thought you'd be here sooner." 

Sebastian was sitting by his computer, all is gadgets scattered around him. Only Sebastian knew what they were all for. Whenever he was there, Logan never asked Sebastian anything he wasn't willing to talk about. Usually that involved never discussing his condition. 

"I came across some research material on genetic enhancement, the research trail lead back to Manticore." 

Logan was puzzled. He'd seen some of Manticore's work himself. Especially since the operation has just about collapsed. After Max's escape, the facility had been taken over and destroyed. But Logan knew that couldn't be the end for Manticore. The lab might be gone but they still had their research and their scientists. After the collapse a lot of Manticore material had surfaced, scattered around for anyone to pick up. It was a mess to wade through. No real order to any of the material, it had taken Logan weeks to find anything on the X7 series, to understand about the kids under Max's care. And just like the Manticore data, the subjects themselves were just as difficult to understand. 

"The part I thought you'd be interested in was research done by a Dr. Eva Tate." 

Logan's struggled to grasp whatever was nagging his brain. Something about that name sounded familiar, he just couldn't get the connection. 

"Her specialty was biogenetics; about five years ago she was working on a project called Zedcon. Sound familiar?" 

"Yeah, the government cut the funding and shut the project down. Something about money being siphoned off and used for unauthorized testing. Didn't they try to manufacture synthetic organs or something?" Logan was beginning to show his impatience; so far he'd heard nothing that he didn't already know. 

"The project was canned because the good doctor disappeared." 

Logan snapped to attention. Now he was in, he always loved a good intrigue. 

"She was working on a device that could correct your genetic code, any abnormality or defect could be changed. It was supposed to be able to present miraculous results within a few short hours. It was proven that with the laser she developed even self-inflicted damage could be reversed." 

Logan knew where Sebastian was leading to and even though the information had triggered his interest he was beyond hoping in miracles. Even if it where possible that this doctor might be able to help him, there was no way he was going to follow up this lead. 

Sebastian noticed everything that had crossed Logan's face. He decided he'd waited long enough to drop his bombshell. It was now or never and he could bet his life that this little bit of info would push Logan into action. 

"Dr Eva Tate, this is the most recent picture I could find." 

Logan stared at the picture. She was young, far to young to be a doctor. She looked about nineteen years old. She had raven colored hair but it was her eyes that caught his attention. Even in black and white, they looked ice cold. The small glasses she wore didn't diminish her steady glaze at all. It was almost as if she was staring right at him. 

"I believe this is also her." 

The screen blinked, a picture of a girl confronted them. Her hair was shaved and she could be no more than 12. Logan knew with a feeling of dread, his eyes had already confirmed what his brain had yet to believe. 

"She's from Manticore?" 

"I haven't been able to get much on her yet. But I think that X5-623 and Dr. Eva Tate are one and the same." 

******  
When Max dropped in on Logan that afternoon, she knew there was something up. He'd avoided her eyes when she talked to him and he sat stiffly at his desk, almost like the desk was a barrier between them. She knew that she could never get close; if she did she might as well strangle him because he'd be as good as dead. 

"Logan, is everything okay?" 

"Everything's fine, why do you ask?" 

"I don't know, you just seem quiet, that's all." 

"Sorry, Max, I just gotta lot on my mind." Logan had been wrestling with idea of telling Max about Dr. Tate the whole day and when she dropped in to see him, he'd lost all his nerve just seeing her. 

How could he ask, _Max, do you know if there is any connection between X5-623 and this doctor_? Then it hit him, the name… Eva …no way, could it be? Max said Eva died, shot right in front of her brothers and sisters--killed protecting her sister. But then again, nothing was regular about Manticore. Even death wasn't sacred. Knowing what he did, could he dare to ask Max? He knew how she felt about Eva, he knew she blamed herself for her sister's death. How would she react if Eva was alive? 

He turned back to his computer screen. His face set in a deep thought as he continued his searching. 

Max could have sworn he going to talk to her. But whatever he'd been about to say never left his lips. He just turned away from her and focused his attention back on the monitor screen. 

_Fine, if he was going to leave her out of whatever he was doing, then she'd just do her thing. No point hanging around._

"I'll see you, Logan, I said I'd meet the gang at Crash." 

"Uh ha." 

He was so engrossed in the material he was reading that he hadn't even registered what she said. It was several minutes later that he realized she was gone. 

_Idiot, you totally ignored her. _

He groaned, when it came to Max everything seemed complicated. Not because she was complicated, just because he was just damn pig-headed and too much for a wuss to make himself anymore vulnerable that he already felt. His computer beeped, the information he'd been furiously trying to get had finally been downloaded onto his drive. He clicked on the file, data spilled over the screen. One line in particular brought a small smile to his face. _Danes Isle, Washington. _

_Well, looks like I'll be taking a small trip up coast. A well deserved on at that._

******  
Logan moved about his room, throwing a few clothes and essentials into an overnight bag. Bling stood to one side watching the whole process. 

"Do you really think going to see this doctor is a good idea?" 

Logan stopped for a moment. He looked over at Bling, who was lounging in the doorway. Bling wasn't his therapist anymore but he was still his friend and he dropped in regularly to check on Logan and his poor excuse of a relationship with Max. He seemed to think that it was his civic duty to remind Logan that if he'd got his sorry ass together sooner, Max and he would be together. 

Logan debated with the idea of telling Bling all about the doctor he was going to see but then thought better of it. Bling knew enough, he didn't need all the details. Besides he probably had enough Manticore horror stories to last him a lifetime, no point adding to them. 

"I need to find out a few things, what better than to see her in person." 

Bling walked over and grabbed the towel Logan was holding and threw it on the bed behind him. "You really haven't given this a lot of thought have you? Did it ever occur to you that this doctor didn't want to be found? Did you even talk to Max about this?" 

Logan was about to acknowledge Bling's concerns but as soon as Max's name was mentioned, Logan almost blew his top. 

"She doesn't have to know about this, it's got nothing to do with her," he ground out. Grabbing the towel, he stuffed it in his bag and zipped it shut. "Now you know where to reach me. And if Max calls tell her I'm following up an informant." 

He gave Bling a warning look. "That's all she has to know." With that he strode out of the room. 

"You don't know what you're getting yourself into, Logan. God help you, you can be such an idiot sometimes." Bling shook his head. He wouldn't say anything to Max but if he got so much as a blip that something was sideways he'd be on Logan's trail in a second. Something about this whole situation just didn't sit well with him. 

******  
Max was sitting in Crash, staring at her beer lost in her black mood. When Original Cindy nudged her she barely looked up. She just happened to look in the direction of the door, and her mood somehow got darker. 

"So you noticed." 

"Yeah, the one day I can't handle it and she turns up at our joint. Go figure." 

"I'll get rid of her if you want." 

Max had to smile. Her friends were always looking out for her but there was no way Max would ever let on to Asha, how much she annoyed her. Asha was just too perfect--girly looks, sweet nature--too nice, in Max's opinion, and she was getting far too close to Logan for Max's liking. 

"Don't look now but she's headed our way." 

Max cringed. Didn't the woman get the vibes, she wasn't wanted around here. 

"Max, I need to talk to you." 

"Well, talk away." Max turned to face the girl-next-door. She gave a sarcastic smile. "You're all work no play aren't you, Asha. Take a break." Max was about to turn around and grab her beer, when Asha put a hand on her shoulder. 

"It's important." 

Max shrugged off Asha's hand and stood up. "Alright already. I'll see you in the morning." 

She slapped Sketchy on the back. "You're out after that one." She gestured to his beer. Without her to watch him, he'd probably stay all night. But he'd learn eventually, one major hangover wouldn't kill him. 

"So what's up?" 

She'd followed Asha outside and they where walking along the street toward nowhere in particular. 

"Logan's gone." 

Max stopped walking, "What did you say?" 

It wasn't like she didn't hear the first time. She would have heard Asha if she'd whispered to her from twenty feet away. She just couldn't understand why Asha would be telling her. 

"He must have left this afternoon. We were supposed to be looking into the smuggling case. No one was at the penthouse. I tried his cell but only got his voicemail." 

"Why are you telling me?" Max was getting tired of acting interested. Whatever Logan had been up to was his business. Like she cared. _Crazy thing was, she did._

"I thought you might know where he went. Or that you'd be concerned that no one knows where he is." 

Asha was about to walk away when Max grabbed her arm. 

"What do you mean, no one knows where he is? Did you call Bling?" 

Now she was worried. It wasn't like Logan to disappear, especially this late at night. 

"When did you go and see him?" 

"About an hour ago, I…" 

Max was already running. 

******  
There was pounding on the door. Bling crawled out of bed, _who the hell could be outside?_ It was already three hours past curfew, only rebels and idiots would be outside at this time. He managed to pull a shirt over his head and head for the door. Grabbing his baseball bat for cautions sake he posted himself by the door. 

"Who is it?" 

"It's Max." 

Bling unbolted the door and swung it wide. She strode in past him and gave him a look that said, _tell me or watch out_. 

"Where did he go?" she asked without expression but her set features and his were nervous. 

Bling looked at the floor, he'd always felt a little uneasy around Max, he was never sure what to expect. "Uh, I think you should ask him about it when he gets back." 

Max didn't move from where she was standing but Bling noticed her hand clench into a fist. He swallowed. "Max…He…I…" 

"Spill it." Her voice held a commanding tone. 

She was no longer standing still she was pacing. Pacing his small lounge. If he didn't speak up soon she'd be sure to wear a hole in the floor. 

"He went to Danes Isle to see some doctor." 

Max was about to rush out the door when Bling halted her. He dropped his hand immediately when she turned her eyes on him. 

"Sorry, but I have to warn you and don't kill the messenger…" 

"What?" Max bit out, she was getting sick of standing around. 

"The woman he went to see is from Manticore. Her name is Dr. Eva Tate and I think that Logan could get himself in trouble." 

Max didn't bother thanking Bling. She had to get out of there before she hit him or broke something. He was right, she would have killed the messenger. Right now she'd like to get her hands on Logan. He was always doing that, keeping things from her, why? She could never figure it out. 

Her motorcycle burned up the highway, she was headed for Portland, and once she reached the docks there she'd have to find away to get to Danes Isle. 

_Just wait till I catch up with you, Logan. You're gonna thank Manticore that I can't touch you. Or I'd make sure you got a good beating._


	2. Ghost from the Past

CHAPTER TWO

**Disclaimer:** I don't have ownership of any of these characters. They belong to their respective creators, including Cameron/Eglee Productions and 20th Century Fox Studios. The story is not for sale or resale it is written solely for _Dark Angel_ fans. No money is being made from the use of these characters.  
**Summary:** Logan goes to a Manticore doctor for help.  
**Spoilers/Timeframe:** Occurs after "Designate This".  
**Rating:** R  
**A/N:** I'm not sure of Eva's code so I made it up and as far as I know there is no Danes Isle, not off the Washington coast anyway.

*****

Eva was struggling to carry all the books she held, even with her capabilities she'd somehow managed to over stack her arms and the books were threatening to topple and spill over the floor. She kept her eyes on the top of the stack and slowly made her way to the study.

One minute she was standing, the next she was flat on her face and the books were scattered from the front door to the bedroom where she'd just come from.

A low whimper sounded from next to her head. There was Snuffy, he was nudging her head, she would have to get up and show him that she was fine or he'd start to get agitated.

"I'm alright, see," She stood up and turned around brushing herself off. "Sorry I didn't see you boy."

She patted his head affectionately. He was the best companion a girl could ever ask for--her protector and her friend, he was her special Alaskan malamute.

Snuffy let out a howl, he bounded to the front of the house. Less than a minute later there was a knock at the door.

Eva kicked some of the mess aside and made her way to the door. The shadow of a man hovered in front of the door. She zoomed in on his face, through the lace curtains she made and traced out his features, he had kind looking eyes, small glasses rested on his straight nose, and his hair was cut in a messy style. He looked uneasy.

_Well, you should be_, Eva smiled to herself. If the man knew the beast that waited on the other side of the door, he wouldn't be standing there waiting. He'd run like hell.

Eva unbolted the locks and edged the heavy oak door open.

Logan turned back to the door as soon as he heard the sound of locks turning. He was momentarily speechless when he saw the woman who opened the door. Dressed in Capri pants and a fitted black shirt, she was striking. Her long dark hair pinned in a messy pile on top of her hair, some bits had come loose and were trailing about her shoulders. Her full red lips looked like they were beckoning to be kissed, all glossy and shaped like a bow. It looked like she was permanently chewing on her bottom lip. Everything about her was unnerving.

Bling had been right, he didn't know what he was getting himself into. She reminded him a lot of Max. She had the same skin tone and her eyes were so like Max's, dark brown pools that lead to the soul. You could drown looking into them. She smiled at him; it began at the corners of her mouth and spread all the way up to her eyes.

"I don't believe I've ever seen you around before. Are you new here or just visiting?"

Logan stood awkwardly, by chance he'd seen her dog, which looked more like a wolf and he didn't look to friendly.

Eva followed his gaze. "Don't worry about Snuffy, he very well trained and unless you're a threat or a door to door salesman you should be fine."

She was smiling again. Logan could get addicted to that smile, lately it was a rare thing that a beautiful woman smiled at him.

"Come in, sit down, then maybe you can tell my why you've dropped by."

As she turned Logan noticed something that made him stop in his tracks. Her hair was all pulled up a few loose curls brushed her nape. But Logan could see the back of her neck clearly and there was no barcode.

Eva realized that the man was still standing in the same spot. He look surprised almost confused.

"Something wrong?"

"No, nothing."

Logan forced his legs to move. There had to be some logical explanation. He was absolutely certain that Dr. Eva Tate was an X5, why else would those pictures he saw be of the same person. There was no mistake. But how was he going to confirm his belief. He could just come right out and ask, couldn't he?

Eva led him to her small kitchen and pulled him up a chair, she grabbed a jug from the fridge and poured him a glass of iced tea.

"I hope you don't mind lemon tea, it's all I can offer you besides water." She set the glass in front of him. "So who are you and where are you from?"

She did have many visitors and her family had their own lives to worry about. She never bothered trying reach any of them.

"Logan Cale," Logan extended his hand, "I'm looking for Dr. Eva Tate."

Eva took his hand and shook it. She was trained to control her emotions, especially her fear but she hadn't been prepared for her past to catch up with her so soon.

"Why are you looking for her?"

Logan noted that she avoid telling him her name. It was a start, so she didn't like to lie. Or was it part of her plan?

"I have a few things that I'd like to ask her. Her research is of great interest to me."

Eva studied the man in front of her. She trusted her instinct always; it had never lead her astray. She felt she could trust Logan, he wasn't a threat but what did he want?

"I'm Eva Tate but everyone here knows me as just plain Eva. They know little about me and I'd like to keep it that way."

She turned away from him to look out the window. She looked far into the distance, from her small house she could look out to sea, in the distance you could make out the Washington cityscape, just shadowy shapes on the horizon.

"Can you help me walk again?"

Eva never took her gaze from the window. "Why, you can already walk."

"I walk with the aid of a machine. My spine was damaged with a gunshot wound. I've seen your work, I know what you can do."

"I left that all behind. I'm not a scientist anymore."

Logan knew that wasn't true, he'd seen the books that were strewn across the floor in the hallway. Physics, biochemistry, one that had particularly caught his eye was a file on DNA test subjects.

"What are you running from?"

Eva froze; she squeezed her hands together. _Breathe, count backwards from ten then just answer the question._

"I started a new life for myself. I had a rough past and I'm leaving it all behind."

She turned to stare at him. Hopefully he would get the message and let it all drop.

"I would love to help, but I have no lab and I never actually operated outside test conditions. So you've come along way for nothing…I'm sorry."

Logan hung his head, it was hopeless and he was down to his last card. _Please trust me. _

"Eva, are you from Manticore?"

Eva swung around from the window and was at the table in a flash. She grabbed him twisted his arm behind his back and pushed him up against the cupboards.

"Who sent you?"

Logan's face was being squashed into the cupboard door and he was struggling to breathe let alone talk, "….I…can't…"

Eva loosened her grip but didn't let him go.

"…I told you, I came on my own, and I'm no threat to you."

Snuffy had started a snarl and a low sound that came from the back of his throat had Logan shaking in his exoskeleton.

"Heel, Snuffy." The dog sat but only a foot away from Logan, and he still had his blue eyes fixed on his target.

Click

Eva hit the floor, dragging Logan with her.

A millisecond later glass shattered and bullets flew harmlessly overhead.

Eva glared at Logan. "Get up," she hissed.

She was past being nice, someone was tearing up her home and it seemed like her past just caught up with her.

_Well, it was nice while it lasted._

She signaled to Snuffy and he followed. They managed to get out of the house and reach a small forest about a hundred meters away. Eva dropped low to the ground and looked back up at the house. She spotted two gunman dressed in black. _Manticore soldiers_, their gear was easy to identify. She counted out numbers, there were six that she could see. She zeroed in on one of them, he was talking in his two-way radio. He was obviously the leader but she didn't recognize him. There was the softest footfall behind them.

Eva swung around, grabbed the intruder by the throat and whipped out her knife before Logan could even blink.

Seconds before plunging the knife into the stalker's heart, Eva locked eyes with her opponent. Her arm froze in striking position.

"Maxie?"

She took a step back, her arms went limp and just dropped to her side. Her hand started to shake and the knife fell harmlessly to the ground. She kept starting at her sister. Her baby sister, the one she'd protected with her own body. She now almost killed. Eva tore her eyes away and just let herself thump to the ground. Her whole being was shuddering now, with uncontrolled shock.

Max was still rooted to the spot. She'd been so stunned by the whole turn of events that she hadn't defended herself or said a word. She'd arrived in time to see the house get riddled with bullets and her enhanced vision allowed her to see Logan and a woman escape. She'd followed them but nothing had prepared her for what she was confronted with. The sight of Logan snapped her out of reverie and the anger of betrayal burned through her. She grabbed him by the back of his neck and whispered close to his ear.

"Tell me why I shouldn't break your neck?"

Despite her hand being gloved, Logan could swear her felt strong cold fingers digging into his flesh.

"I wasn't sure myself, Max, it was just a hunch I had to find out for sure."

Max released him and pushed him none to gently to a sitting position.

"This just doesn't make any sense. I saw you die right in front of me." She was squatting before Eva now who was rocking herself back and forth, completely lost to what was happening around her.

"We have to move, we can't stay here."

Max grabbed Eva, put her arm over her shoulders and placed a strong supportive arm around her sister's small waist. She collected the knife and gestured to Logan. "Call the dog."

Logan looked apprehensively at Snuffy, lucky for him the dog didn't need any urging, and he followed Max and Eva silently.

******  
"Damn it!" Croan screamed at his men, "One woman and the ten of you can't even hit her."

One of his men grunted.

"You got something to say?"

"She's an X5, sir."

"That's no excuse, you never came within meters of her. We've spent a week preparing for this exercise and we don't even get close."

"Sir, she wasn't alone. We saw two people in the house. A man and a woman."

"Whatever, we don't have anything now. She's long gone. Scout the woods and torch the house." Croan rounded on one of the men. "You. Get me her files on Manticore. Now all of you move out!"

This woman was getting on his nerves. Major Joseph Croan was Lydecker's replacement, his job depended on this mission, and it was his first big assignment. If he failed to bring her in, alive preferably, he'd spend the rest of his days on the base. Doing some shitty deskwork no doubt.


	3. Revelations

CHAPTER THREE 

**Disclaimer, Summary, Timeframe refer to Chapter One**

***** 

Back in Seattle, they crashed at Logan's penthouse. Bling was over making hot chocolate, banging around in the kitchen. Max sat silently on the couch staring at her hands. Logan stood awkwardly to one side, whilst Eva sat by Snuffy on the floor. 

At least she'd settled a bit in the past few hours. But no one had said a word since they left Danes Isle. 

"They've probably torched the house by now. I have nothing." Eva turned her face into Snuffy. Her voice was muffled, "At least I still have you, boy." 

Snuffy turned at licked his master's hand. It was a small hand that clutched at the dog's fur, like a child's clinging to a mother's dress. 

"Here you go." Bling passed a mug of steaming chocolate into Eva's waiting hands. "Hope it's not too hot." He smiled at her gently. She managed a tiny smile back. 

Everything was just so confusing. _Maxie…she just couldn't believe it. She'd escaped and she was alive,_. Eva wondered if Max knew where the others where if they were all right. And what was her connection to Logan Cale? Boyfriend, husband… Somehow none of those ideas matched. Eva looked between the two. Logan was staring at Max and Max was staring at the floor. She suppressed a giggle, despite all the craziness that had just occurred, she was sure that these two had problems on a daily basis. 

Logan decided it was time to clear the air. "Eva, why don't you have a barcode? And how is it that you're alive and all the X5s thought you were dead." 

Eva took a deep breath, _here goes_, she looked at Max who was looking in her direction now. Waiting. 

"I do have a barcode. Here." She reached up and rubbed her finger over the back of her neck. 

Logan watched, it seemed like her skin was loosening, like a snake shedding it's skin. She peeled what looked like a layer of skin off and there it was, the Manitcore brand. Twelve digits. 

Max got up from where she was sitting and studied Eva's code. "What happened?" She looked at Eva her eyes filled with sadness. "We thought you were dead but you weren't and we left you there." 

"No, you didn't Max, don't ever blame yourself for that. I made a decision; I wouldn't let them take you. Lydecker was so mad, he hated that we were more loyal to each other than to him. In a way I did die that night, because when I woke up everything had changed. Lydecker told me that everyone had escaped, that you'd all left me behind. He tried to brainwash me, saying all that mattered was the mission and everything else was a lie. He said there was no such thing as family, that I had no family. Manitcore was creator and it was my home. They had repaired the damage to my lungs. The bullet had gone clean through, I was in the infirmary for all of three days. I never knew of the escape or how many had made it. Lydecker kept me with the X6s and made me his special project. I finished training with the X6s and after that he stuck me with the scientist and doctors. They wanted one of their own to learn everything. They felt they had more control that way," she scoffed, and looked up at Max. "I'm glad you made it out, baby sister, nothing else really mattered to me." 

Max had tears in her eyes and she slipped of the couch and sat on the floor facing Eva. 

"You never tried to contact any of us. Not even Zack. Or he just didn't tell me." 

Eva hesitantly reached for Max, seeing that she wouldn't pull away Eva enfolded her in a tight hug. 

"I thought it was safer for everyone if I just stayed away. I only got out four years ago." She paused, her own tears were running now and she wiped her cheeks. "Security was minimal because we were working on a sensitive project. I saw my chance and took it. I didn't like my life, being told what to do every waking minute. Never having freedom to do what I wanted. I was the only doctor who never once got to leave the lab." Eva released Max as she laughed and looked at Logan. "You know that no one I worked with knew I was a freak. Manticore made sure that I had a fake background and all my credentials before releasing me into a government laboratory, hence the skin patch." She waved the flimsy bit of skin she held in her hand. 

Logan stood up and grabbed the nearest wastebasket. "Here." 

"Thanks" 

He dropped the bin beside his chair. Running his hand through his hair, he wracked his brain for the thousandth time. With all the disappointment he'd already faced, he'd still be stupid enough to hope that Dr Eva Tate would be his savior. 

"Do you mind if I take Snuffy for a walk? He's been cooped up long enough today. I usually let him run loose for most of the day, he's starting to get restless." Eva smiled at Max. "A little like us, huh?" 

"Yeah…. Um, Eva…Mind if I tag along?" 

"No, come on." Eva gave her sister a hand up and they both walked to the door and let themselves out. 

The door closed behind them and Logan sighed. "So much for that." 

Bling who'd been hovering in the walkway the whole time finally broke his silence. 

"You know, Logan, it could have been a whole lot easier if you'd just told Max." 

"Yeah, save myself the trouble." Logan gave Bling a sarcastic look. "You know you always know how to make a man feel better." 

Bling slapped Logan on the shoulder. "Hey, it's my job. No, don't do anything stupid." With that said, he left. 

"Yeah whatever…" Logan muttered to an empty room. 

******  
"Maxie, now your gonna tell me why that room was positively buzzing. And don't tell me it was Bling." 

"There's nothing going on." 

"You could never lie to me, Max, what's between you and Logan? I'd have to be blind, deaf and dumb to not notice how he feels about you. And I know you're in love with him." 

"I'd die for him Eva, the thing is I'm dying without him. Dying on the inside." 

Eva stopped walking and she looked at her sister, underneath that strong composed exterior of a soldier was a caring young woman. One that was hurting terribly. 

"Why do you both fight each other when it's obvious that you both love each other?" 

"I got myself caught, Manticore used me as a tool to kill Logan. Only I can't kill him and to save him I have to stay away from him." Tears were rolling down her face and she did nothing to stop them. "It's hopeless, I've search for a cure but there just isn't one. If I so much as touch him I'll kill him." 

Eva was stunned. Rage built in her heart, anyone looking at her now would have seen it in her eyes, they were flashing cold as steel. It seemed that they would never be free of Manticore, somehow they would always do everything they could to ruin all of their lives, till they were all either captured or dead. 

_Well this time, you will fail again. Because now that I've found my family, I'm going to make sure they are happy as well as free from your hell. _

"Max, is there a place where I can get access to a lab?" 

"I'm not sure, I could ask Logan? Why?" 

"It's been awhile but I'm willing to try if you are?" 

"Try what?" 

"I'm going to get that crap out of your body." 

******  
Max had been on runs all morning and hadn't had one spare minute to look into searching for a safe laboratory. She didn't want to ask Logan, she couldn't explain why but she just had to sort this mess on her own. She'd left Eva at Logan's place, she'd be safer there and she wasn't up to explaining things to Original Cindy at the moment. Just how did you explain your dead sister turning up? 

"Hey, girl, haven't seen ya all day. Normal bin on your back?" 

"No, just the usual." She grabbed her lunch and was about to sit down and eat when a familiar face caught her attention. "Zack?" 

Zack didn't break his stride till he was standing right in front of her. "Where is she?" 

"Yeah, nice to see you, too." Zack seemed to turn up whenever he felt like it, though to Max it seemed that like trouble was always not far behind. 

"Eva, where is she?" 

Max shoved her lunch back in her locker. "How did you know she was here? No, answer this, since when did you know she was alive?" 

"I didn't till this morning. When I saw this." He whipped out a missing persons poster, it was a scanned photo of Eva, a recent one. 

"We have to get her out of Seattle." 

"I didn't get this from around here, I saw it in Portland but you're right. It's best if she doesn't stay here. Can't have two X5s in one city," he said that with heavy undertones and Max knew what he was referring to. 

"They obviously didn't track us. I need Eva for a few days, then I'll help make sure she gets to a safe place. Where ever you think that is." She couldn't help but roll her eyes. 

_Eva, I hope you've got cold weather gear because your gonna need it._

It had taken months but Zack had finally regained most of his memory. A bullet to the brain and rigorous Manticore brainwashing couldn't help your thought process too much. Sometimes when Max looked at him, she still felt guilty. It was her fault that Zack had sacrificed so much, he'd given up everything to ensure she lived. He loved her more then life itself and she could never return even half of those feelings. 

After there blotched Manticore raid, both Zack and herself had been captured. She's been shot in the heart and whilst in recovery Renfro had tormented her with the knowledge that Zack was dead and that his heart was beating in her chest. Every minute that passed while she was trapped in that living hell, she prayed that she had the strength to fight them, fight the demons and keep herself sane. Promising that she would get out before they turned her back into a _good little soldier. _

When she did escape she wasn't thinking about anything but Logan. She was sure that somehow Renfro had dragged out of her, the location of Eye's Only. It wasn't till later she realized that it was all a trap, they'd let her escape so she could unwittingly kill Logan. She got Logan the cure for the virus before it killed him and for a while everything returned to normal. Or as close to normal as they would ever get. 

After Manticore learned that Eyes Only was still alive, they had somehow resurrected Zack from his dormant half-life state and programmed him to kill Manitcore's number one enemy. Max had been able to stop Zack before he killed Logan but not before everyone had been given a full and through wake up call. It seemed Manticore would never stop trying to destroy everything in her life. She just had to make sure she always stayed one step ahead in the game. 


	4. Animal Control

Chapter 4 

**Disclaimer:**   
**Summary:**   
**Spoilers/Timeframe:**   
**Rating:** (As for Chapter One, nothing's changed)  
**A/N:** I'm developing a really bad habit of picking my writing to pieces. So in future I'm letting it all just follow. If it doesn't make any sense we'll, you'll just have to put up with it. :o)~

***** 

Eva woke up hot and sticky, she felt really agitated considering she'd slept for a full five hours she couldn't figure it out. Wasn't sleeping supposed to help you feel relaxed? Snuffy was nowhere to be seen; Logan must have let him out. Good thing too, the last thing she wanted was to wake up to Snuffy's howling. Then it slowly dawned on her, her body was telling her something and she just groaned. 

_Oh no…please not now… _It had been more than six months since the last time. If anything you could safely say that she was about as predictable as sunshine in Seattle. She was in heat, sure, while she'd been on Danes Isle she been able to deal with it. Alone in her house she'd just lock herself up till it passed and go on as normal. But being in the vicinity of an attractive male with only a thin wall to separate them. 

_Oh God, please save me… No, save Logan. What am I gonna do?_

She couldn't stay in the room all day. But then again she couldn't go out on the street, Seattle was sure to be crawling with male bodies. Eva gripped the bed sheets tighter. She didn't realize how tightly till she heard a tearing noise. 

_Good lord, woman, get a grip. _

Eva hauled herself out of bed and threw her gear on. She didn't have any other clothes; she was going to be wearing the same outfit as yesterday. Brushing her hair and tying it in a messy ponytail she took a deep breath and opened the door. 

The male scent assaulted her nose the moment she edged the door open. This was not good. She had about ten seconds to get pass Logan and out the front door before all hell broke loose. She held her breath and ran, straight by Logan who was cooking in the kitchen and out the front door, she slammed it behind her. She sagged on the other end of the door, well so far so good. At least she wouldn't be trying to bed her sister's man. 

Logan had seen a figure dash past him at an incredible speed, he been about open his mouth to ask Eva what she'd like for breakfast when someone had flown past. His door slammed and he closed his mouth. He guessed that he'd be dining alone. 

_Well more for me._ That's when Snuffy started howling. _Great here we go! _

"What? You want out?" 

Logan opened the door but the dog just sat there and continued to howl. "What do you want? If you don't keep it down, I'm going to get the neighbors coming up here." 

Snuffy continued his howling. "Yeah, and you owner says you're a smart dog." 

Logan shut the door and trudged back to the kitchen. A minute more of this and he was going on a hunt for his earmuffs. 

It was five in the afternoon when Zack and Max wandered into Logan's apartment. All the way up in the elevator they heard howling. 

"What is making that noise?" 

"My guess would be Snuffy, Eva's dog." 

"Don't dogs bark?" 

"Snuffy's part wolf or something." 

"Great." 

The elevator stopped and slid open. Logan's door thrown wide open? That was strange. 

"Logan." Max ran straight in. "Logan, where are you?" She was running through the apartment. She found him at his computer, with headphones on. He didn't even hear her come up. "Hey, Logan!" She knocked the headphones off. 

"Hey what…Oh, Max." He glared at Zack who'd come in behind her. "What brings you to Seattle?" 

"Logan, where is Eva? And why is Snuffy howling? It's a horrible noise." 

Logan pushed himself away from the desk, "You've had to hear it for a few minutes, I had that racket all day. I've already had half the building turn up at the door. I expect animal control any time now." He stood up and stretched, "I bet he's just missing Eva, but why he just doesn't go after her I'll never know." When Logan looked at Zack again he raised an eyebrow. "What's up?" 

Zack had caught a scent in the air, he sniffed, it was faint but he could definitely smell something. He followed the trail. It led him to the guest room. The sheet was torn and the bed sheets were trailed on the floor. It was an unmistakable smell and damn, it heated his blood like wild fire. He swore. 

"What is it? Zack?" Max had followed him and all she could smell was sweat. 

"Pheromones, Eva's in heat." He swung around and caught Logan by his jumper. "If you so much as touched her, I'll kill you." 

"She raced out of here like death was after her and that was this morning. She hasn't been back." 

Max knew why Eva would have run, to protect Logan. In her heart she thanked her sister. Even in her desperate state, she'd still thought of others above herself. But now they had to find her, Seattle was very different from Danes Isle and who knew what kind of trouble she could get herself in. 

******  
"Come here, baby, you have something I want." 

Eva stood in the middle of Crash. She had her sights on a muscled man wearing a loose sweatshirt, he was giving off the strongest smell. And if he didn't come to her soon, she was sure that she'd go over there and strip him before they even made it out of the joint. Earlier in the day she'd almost jumped two-sector policeman before freaking out and running for her life. Her rational self had been fighting the urges all day and she was beginning to lose the battle. She'd realized that locking herself up in the bathroom back at Logan's would have been a much better idea than pressing her luck on the streets of Seattle. Her body was aching in more places than she could count and her skin was on fire. She didn't even have the will power to drag herself out of this place, unless she took a male body with her. 

"Eva!" 

She whirled at the sound of Max's voice. That toned body had just started to make a move towards her. _Oh, Max, I can't help it. I can't stop this._

Her man had put his strong arms around her and pulled her into a passionate kiss. That kiss dissolved her rational being altogether. She grabbed the front of his sweatshirt ripped it open and ran her hands down his naked chest. All of a sudden that great muscled body disappeared from her arms. She opened her eyes. Zack stood in front of her, eyes blazing. 

"You're going, now." Zack was having trouble controlling his own actions. He had to concentrate all his energy into not jumping her himself. Boy, she was giving off strong. "Max, you take her and keep her away from Logan. And get her under the shower." 

******  
If their suspicions were right, they'd reached Eva just in time. It had been too close. Max blushed just recalling the embarrassing display. She'd pulled Eva out of Crash but not before she'd noticed an open mouthed Sketchy and shell-shocked Original Cindy. "Geeze, girl, and I thought you got it bad. That girl's just got no control." 

_You don't know that half of it, boo._

Eva was standing shivering under the cold shower. Max had to hold her under because like a real feline, Eva was itching to jump a mile way from the icy spray. 

"Everything okay in there?" Logan tapped on the door 

"We're fine, Logan." Max pushed Eva back in the shower; she'd tried to get out when she heard Logan's voice. 

Max breathed in relief when Logan moved away from the door. She heard his footsteps retreating down the hall. 

Logan had watched Max drag a dazed Eva through the apartment straight to the bathroom. They hadn't come out for the past hour. He could hear spluttering and yelling but still no one came out. 

_At least the dog stopped howling_. Praise God for small mercies. 

He'd gathered that Eva was going through one of those cycles that Logan knew Max always dreaded. 

"They probably won't come out till morning." 

_Damn_. Logan cursed, he'd just never get to liking the guy. The one thing that he hated most about Zack, despite the fact that he was in love with Max, was that he'd always come out of nowhere and he always turned up uninvited. 

"So you're just going to hang around." 

"Well, I'm taking Eva as soon as she's able to leave." 

_Typical._ Zack never asked if you wanted to go, he just turned up and expect you to leave. Logan was past even discussing people's feelings with Zack, the man had nothing else on the brain except his mission, protecting his siblings. Nothing else mattered. 

******  
"Maxie…" 

Max ran a hand over Eva's damp forehead. She'd never seen a cycle that was so bad. She'd never been through anything so strong herself. Eva had been under six cold showers and her skin was still like a torch under her cool touch. Max could tell that her sister was struggling to fight the urges that were controlling her body and her mind. 

It wasn't till early morning that Eva finally succumbed to an exhausted sleep. Her body was drenched with sweat and she felt weak, completely drained. Never in her life had she experienced such a strong hit. It scared her, if it hadn't been for Max, she would have had sex with that boy and afterward she would have hated herself. She'd never ever lost control before. 

When Eva next awoke, Max wasn't at her bedside. She looked down at herself, her body felt slick and the robe she was in clung to her. _Urgh, you need a shower girl._ She felt a little lightheaded but at least the worst of her cycle had past. She no longer felt the uncontrolled urge to have sex. She was wearing a bathrobe, an oversized one at that. _Must be Logan's…yep the worst is over. Or wouldn't I want to run out of room and grab the guy_ Well she badly need to change and she wasn't about the wonder around in the clothes she'd worn for the past two days already. She'd have to ask if Logan could loan her something. 

Eva opened the bedroom door and peered out, the place looked deserted. Looking out of the window the sun was high, it was getting close to midday. Well that would explain why the penthouse was so quite. But where was Snuffy? 

"Logan, are you here?" She, tried calling again but still there was no answer. 

_Oh well, I'll just help myself. _

She went through Logan's closet and grabbed a t-shirt and a pair of drawstring shorts. At least she could pull the strings tight and the pants wouldn't fall off. She had a quick cool shower and pulled on the clothes. They were huge on her; she had a small frame and was only 5ft 6 inches tall. Logan's shorts hung to her shins and his t-shirt looked more like a nightshirt. She looked like a toddler dressed in teenager's clothes. She giggled. 

_Well, I hope that Max comes back first and I can grab something better than this, cause I must look like a dag. _

She made herself some porridge with oatmeal Logan had in the cupboard and sat at the bench to eat. Humming away some tune that she just made up. 

Hours past and no one came. _Where was everyone?_ She wasn't too bothered because she was sure that they'd all wonder back eventually. She had occupied herself using Logan's computer just playing around on the Internet. It was about four in the afternoon when she stumbled onto something. 

_What the…?_

It was all her Zedcon research material. It was in a recently copied file. She opened the folder that Logan had downloaded. She scanned and read all the data in a matter of minutes. She was ecstatic; Max wouldn't have to find her a lab, why hadn't she thought of it before. 

_Thanks, Logan, you're a lifesaver. _

She couldn't believe her luck. All they had to do now was get her equipment from the lab. She could set up anywhere once they got hold of her stuff. 

When Max turned up an hour later, Eva had already hacked into the government mainframe and dumped the layout of a laboratory in Oregon onto Logan's hard drive. She's then got blueprints of the lab's security by swiping them from the security company. By the time Max wondered into Logan's office, Eva had her mission all planned out. 

"Eva, what are you doing?" 

"Max, we're going to get my stuff. I'm going to take it from the lab I used to work at." 

"How do you know it will still be there?" 

"Before I left I hid all my equipment and my files in the underground basement. It's locked up in a safe." Eva could barely contain her excitement. 

"Tell me what to do because you're staying here." 

Eva dropped the plan she'd been studying on desk. "But you can't go alone…" 

Max cut her off, "I'm not giving you a choice. There are people looking for you, I found this," Max handed Eva the missing person's notice. She deliberately left out the part of where she got it. "Besides wouldn't the people at the lab recognize you." 

Eva's shoulders dropped, "You've got a point. But I just don't like the idea of you going alone." 

"I do crazy stuff all the time, it's the story of my life." Max smiled and grabbed Eva's hand. "Besides, you're doing this for me. I wanna help out." 

Eva eventually agreed that she'd stay behind and let Max go. Max made her promise not to say anything to Logan, saying he'd freak. Eva promised, on the condition that if anything were to go wrong, she'd call for help. Max just nodded and gave her sister a huge hug before grabbing the plans and dashing out the door. 

_She had a few things to organize before she jumped on her bike and headed for Oregon. One of those things involved Zack._


	5. One Night

**Chapter 5**

**Disclaimer:** I don't have ownership of any of these characters. They belong to their respective creators, including Cameron/Eglee Productions and 20th Century Fox Studios. The story is not for sale or resale it is written solely for _Dark Angel_ fans. No money is being made from the use of these characters.

**Summary:** Eva/Zack sex. Music: One Night - The Corrs  
**Spoilers/Timeframe:** Occurs after "Designate This".  
**Rating:** R  
**A/N:** Thanks so much for the really supportive reviews. They are what inspire me to keep writing. Trust me, I don't get much positive feedback from my brother. He says it's all crap unless it's full of smut, well Dean, this chapter's for you.

* * *

It was getting dark and Eva was still alone in the apartment. No one but Max had turned up. Not even Snuffy had shown.

She picked at the cold potato salad that she'd found in Logan's fridge. Where the hell was everyone? Max would have long since left for Oregon by now and she was still feeling edgy about it. Her baby sister was going to break into a highly secure government facility on her own. Eva stopped herself thinking about it, there was nothing that she could do now but wait.

Eva let her thoughts drift back to the previous night, when Max had turned up at Crash to collect her. Even in her Manticore induced haze she could've sworn that she remembered seeing Zack. Maybe she'd just imagined him, but she never remembered having such a vivid imagination. She hadn't seen Zack since he was just a boy; a good inch shorter than her with cropped hair back at Manticore. But the man she'd seen last night had been tall, with long blond hair and a gorgeously toned body. Her brain registered that it had to be Zack. She didn't know anyone else with those eyes -sharp clear blue eyes. They looked like they were charged with electricity. She was sure she felt sparks coming from them last night.

Strange how all these years had past but nothing had changed. She'd still put her life on the line to save Max or Zack. But for Zack her feelings were a little different. With Max she felt protective of little sister. She felt as though Max was her sole responsibility, even though Max had been one of the strongest of all the X5s. And Zack. Well, with Zack it seemed that her world would stop if he weren't in it. During those first few months when she thought that she was alone, the most pain came from the thought that maybe Zack was dead. It was much later that she realized that he and the others were free. That thought alone gave her the courage to go on, even if it meant her living under Manticore.

No one had ever told her what love was, or what it meant. She'd seen people around her 'fall in love' and it seemed so complicated, sometimes so debilitating and heartbreaking. If what she felt for Zack was love, then it was both a curse and a blessing. Because somewhere deep down, she knew that he'd probably never feel the same way.

"Hey."

It was almost as if she'd dreamed him into reality. He was standing beside her bedroom window, looking completely casual yet his agitated impatience was simmering just below the surface. He appeared completely unannounced yet immediately seemed to be taking authority of the situation. So like Zack. He was completely unconventional, always unpredictable but yet the most reliable person she'd ever known. How could you even begin to describe the enigma that was Zack -the man who stood before her now? Being so engrossed in her thoughts she hadn't even heard him come into the room.

"Eva, how are you feeling?" Zack found it hard to speak. Did he dare go near her? It was over, wasn't it? He was sure that her cycle had passed. He could only smell the remnants of it in the room, nothing strong radiating for her.

"Zack." She wanted to confirm that he wasn't a dream that he was real. She moved close to him and put her hand to his face. "You're really here?"

Zack felt his skin tingle when her skin met his. A soft smooth hand was caressing his rough cheek. A day's worth of stubble had already started to show but Eva didn't seem to care. Her lips seemed to be getting closer. The whole time she'd moved toward him, he had stopped breathing. Perhaps if he didn't move, didn't speak - maybe she'd stop. 1-2-3, four seconds. With his thought process in shambles he realized if he didn't do something soon she would be a hair away from kissing him.

"Eva..."

His words were silenced as her lips met his.

When Zack pulled away, Eva gripped his shirt and held him fast. Her warm breath fanning his flushed face. 'Don't. Stay with me. Please just for tonight.'

Zack fought to control his warring emotions. His body was screaming for release, to claim this sweet body and mold it to his own. But his head was sounding like a siren, '_Don't, you'll regret this later. She'll regret it later.'_

"I know that you don't love me, Zack. But let me love you. I want you."

Zack just let himself get lost in her eyes, deep and dark. She pulled his head down for another passionate kiss. Pushing way all the doubt and caution and letting it fly away. They'd live for tonight. One night, together, who knew what tomorrow would bring?

Eva knew that she'd gotten her wish. She felt his resistance fade with each passing second. He was returning her kiss, and his mouth opened, inviting her in. Their tongues met in slow discovery. Tasting, touching, and he was soon leaving her breathless. She sensed his body radiating a heat as strong as hers, and they were both being consumed by it.

Having him close wasn't enough. Exploring his mouth, tasting his desire was sending her body into overdrive. It seemed like their clothes just dissolved, their hands were frenzied, both wanting to touch and explore everywhere at once. Wanting to trace and feel each other's bodies, as if transcribing them to memory for all time.

Zack let his tongue trail a path down Eva's neck, dipping low and traveling between her breasts. His lips followed where his tongue had been and Eva arched her body to his sweet onslaught. His lips caught a pink nipple and sucked, it puckered in his mouth and he bit gently on it. Eva moaned and arched against him, pushing more of her breast into his mouth while he lavished it with his lips and tongue.

Eva walked Zack towards the bed, still rumpled and unmade. The back of his knees felt the edge of the mattress and he fell backward, pulling her with him. He hit the mattress, the cool sheets giving relief to his aching body for barely a second. She lay sprawled on top of him, and for what seemed like the longest time they just stayed like that, looking into each one another's eyes, asking questions but not really wanting answers.

"I'm only asking for tonight, Zack. I won't ask you to promise forever."

That's all he needed to hear. Because even though he'd always cared for Eva, he knew that it wasn't to the same extent that she did for him. He had too many responsibilities, so many depended on him, and he could tie himself to her. He couldn't promise anything.

Eva felt him harden against her thigh and smiled wickedly. She was about to move to straddle him but he quickly flipped her onto her back.

"It will be better like this." He caught her legs up and rested the arch of her knees on his shoulders. He hesitated like that for a moment. The tip of his throbbing hardness just touching the entrance of her slick wet heat.

Eva reached out and closed her fingers around him, stroking him till the veins on his neck were pronounced and sweat beaded on his forehead. She pumped his length without mercy until he growled at her. He flicked her bundle of nerves with the pad of his thumb till she lost her rhythm. Her hand fell away and she clutched at the sheets beneath her. He pushed into her and as she arched in response, he slid all the way home.

He nearly lost it right then. She'd already brought him to the brink with her rough play and he had to squeeze her legs to keep her from bucking against him. He held them immobile, fused together intimately. She was fluttering and squeezing him lightly. He could see bright spots behind his lids at the delicious pain she was inflicting on him.

Eva didn't want to go slow but she let him have this moment, he obviously needed it to regain some semblance of control, his whole body was rigid and damp with sweat. His arms were trembling under the strain of his exertion.

Then he was moving again. Deeply and with drawn out strokes. Eva felt the penetration and as he continued to move inside her, she felt her body grow weightless. Every nerve ending in her body was coming alive. Inside her womb a flame was building and with each stroke it seem to be getting hotter. Her spine tensed and as he thrust into her harder and she could feel her heart hammering in her chest and her muscles stretching, as though at any moment it was going to explode right out of her chest. Her head felt hazy like she was in oxygen overload.

Zack squeezed her thighs and kissed the insides of her knees. He felt his body tightening. He was using all his control. He tried not to give into the sensations sweeping his body. It was incredible, sex with Eva felt so different to his other experiences. Her muscles fitted around him and it was like he could feel everything. All his nerve endings were on hyper alert. They fit together so perfectly. Her inner walls caressed his length with every withdrawal and he could barely hold himself together each time he pushed back in her glove like sheath.

Through half closed eyes Eva watched Zack's body move. He wasn't slowing his pace at all. His eyes had shuttered in concentration and his hair had darkened with sweat. Beads of perspiration glistened against his tanned skin, and his cheeks were flushed with a healthy glow.

Her body tightened and she felt a rush of pleasure explode through her starting in her womb and washing over her from her nipples to her toes.

Zack felt her climax and her walls clenched around him and he managed one last thrust before his own orgasm tore through him. Shaking and pumping into her body with abandon, he collapsed heavily against her damp body. His release came powerful and fast, his seed spilling into her body, his head twitching against her the warm core.

Eva body continued to convulse around him, squeezing him gently, the tremors continuing from deep inside her and awakening feelings she didn't know she was capable of experiencing. She thought she must have spontaneously combusted she felt so weighted and drained yet never so alive at the same time. White lights danced in her vision and she closed her eyelids, feeling deliriously happy. Even in her dreams, she had never imagined she could feel this good or so completely whole. Nothing could ever replace this feeling because having him resting so peaceful against her, holding his strong perfect body while still inside her was real. It wasn't a dream and she'd give anything for it not to end.

Eva fell asleep in his arms. He listened to her breathing until it became deep and steady. Soon she would be in R.E.M. It would give him time to think about things. Sure it had been great sex, but that's all it was. He wouldn't allow himself to dwell on everything she had awoken inside him. He quelled the desire he had to hold her and fall asleep with her against his chest. He hoped that she would understand why he couldn't stay. He hadn't changed his mind, he couldn't stay with her in Seattle and they couldn't be together. It was just far too risky. He'd leave in a few hours, it would be better that way. No awkward looks or worse, regret. He wouldn't have to see the look on her face once he told her he would be leaving. In a way he had to admit to himself that he didn't want to see the disappointment in her eyes. Because whether he'd ever acknowledge it or not, he'd never regret what they just shared and Eva would always be special to him.

* * *

"Hey, wake up, sleepyhead."

Eva turned over, ignoring the person shaking her. She was blissfully peaceful and she felt warm and safe. She had never been able to sleep like this. The only other occasion she'd been out like a light was after she'd been shot. Then again, that was like being brought back from the dead. This feeling was because she felt alive and she didn't want it to end. But she knew even before she opened her eyes that Zack was gone.

She groaned and rolled onto her back. Bright sunlight struck her in the face and she threw her hands over her eyes.

"Max!" She grabbed the sheet up and pressed it to her body, realizing just how severely under dressed she was for company. More to the point, undressed period. The clothes she'd been wearing, Logan's clothes, were still all over the floor.

"Hey, there's nothing you got that I don't have, too."

Eva blushed. And something twigged in Max's brain. Something had happened here. She picked up a pair of shorts of the floor.

"Are these Logan's?" Max didn't notice that her voice came out a little wobbly.

"Max, I borrowed them. I didn't have any clean clothes." Eva got out of bed and wrapped the sheet around her; it was then that she noticed a bit of paper sticking out from under the pillow. She snatched it up.

_Eva, _

_Sorry, but I had to go.  
Max will help you get out of Seattle, I'm sure Logan will work something out.  
Take care of yourself. _

_Zack_

Max had read over her shoulder. She hadn't meant to pry but she let her curiously get the better of her. She saw a single tear escape Eva's eyes and roll down her cheek.

Eva folded the note and put it back on the bed, she'd known what would happen.

_One night. That's all she'd wanted. Wasn't it?_

"You don't have to tell me but I'm here if you want to talk." Max rested a hand on Eva's shoulder, she was kicking herself now, she'd asked Zack to stay with Eva to make sure that she would be all right. She hadn't wanted Eva to be alone while she went to Oregon and heaven only knew where Logan had disappeared too.

"I asked for this, Max, I knew how he felt and I asked anyway. Now I don't know what I feel."

_You feel empty, alone. You'll live with memories for the rest of your life because that's all you'll ever have._

Eva promised herself she'd be okay, she was a grown woman and she'd made a choice. She wouldn't cry over it and she certainly wasn't going to regret.

"Max, promise me that you'll never talk about this to anyone."

Max nodded and hugged her sister. "Now I've got a surprise for you."

Max dragged the heavy metal box across the floor, it was leaving a trail of scratch marks. _Great, Logan's gonna kill me._ "You know I swear this thing weighs a ton. Do you know how hard it was trying to ride and balance this at the same time?"

Eva laughed and Max laughed with her. "I can only imagine."

She knelt down and dialed in the combination. The lock clicked open. Eva pulled open the heavy lid and started lifting out the contents. There were all sorts of gadgets, parts of something, needles, vials, bottles, files but two things stood out amongst all the scientific clutter.

One was a glove that had wires and cables attached to it, the other was a steel object that looked like a gun.

Max picked up the instrument that was shaped like a gun and held it up. Eva turned just in time to see Max about to test the trigger.

"Be careful with that. It's a laser." Eva took it from Max. "Give me your hand."

Max held out her hand, Eva pricked her finger and smeared the blood on a glass slide. She then went back to rummaging through the box. She found what she was looking for and stood up.

"If Logan has a razor grab it and meet me in the kitchen."

When Max returned to the kitchen, Eva had a microscope set up on the bench. Scattered around where some empty vials and needles.

"Here, is this better." Max dropped a bloody tissue on the bench.

"Yeah that's great." It was dried but it didn't matter. She just needed to be able to differentiate between Max's and Logan's DNAs. She went back to studying her sample. Eva took the tissue and rubbed it across a clean slide, she put a cover over it and replaced the sample she was looking at and took a look at the new one.

"So, are you ready?"

Max looked surprised. "What, now?"

Eva laughed, "It will take me a few minutes to prepare the stuff I need but, yeah, you'll be feeling different after this."

Max watched as Eva mixed different solutions together, she was boiling a pot of water on the stove--sterilizing instruments and putting little bits of cloth in the water.

"Go lie down on the couch and make yourself comfy, I'll be there in soon."

A few minutes later Eva came into the lounge carrying a large metal tray. "Max, I have to warn you, that it probably didn't hurt when they messed you up but it's going to hurt like hell now."

"Thanks for telling me." Max tried a small smile but failed, she trusted Eva but inside she was still freaking out.

While talking to Max, Eva had plunged the needle full of sedatives into her arm and in seconds it would be coursing around her body and pull her into unconsciousness.

A few hours later Max awoke. Her head felt like it was made of lead, she tried turning it and a shearing pain shot trough her skull. _Eva wasn't kidding when she said this would hurt_. Her lids felt like sandpaper against her sensitive eyes and she resigned to keeping them closed. The rest of her body felt numb. She couldn't feel anything from the neck down.

"You'll feel terrible for awhile. You're body has to accept the change. There was a virus that attached itself to you genetic code. It altered everything in your body. It was a deadly virus designed for a specific DNA. I had to extract it from your DNA. In doing so your body had to shut down and in a way be reborn. You'll feel better by tomorrow. I gave you a shot to help speed up the recovery process. I'll give you another dose in a couple hours, for now just rest."

Max didn't open her eyes again. She just let herself drift between consciousness and sleep. Every now and then she would feel a cool cloth covering her eyes or a warm hand touch her cheek. A feather light touch brushed her arm, she was slowly regaining the feeling of her body. It was a welcome sign.

The next time she woke up it was to the slamming of the door.

"You know I don't know why you have to persist so much, Asha. It's not like we can do everythingâ€¦Max?"

Logan froze the second he saw Max lying on the couch, he the dropped the bag he was carrying. Both her forearms were wrapped in gauze and a cloth covered her eyes. She didn't move when he said her name. Thinking the worst, Logan raced over and gathered her in his arms.

"Logan, don't!" Asha was beside him. "You can't touch her." She tried to pull Logan away but she didn't succeed.

Logan hadn't even thought rationally. His whole being was shaking with fear, what had happened, why was she all limp in his embrace?

"Logan." Max said sleepily. Was she dreaming or was he holding her. Alarm bells sounded in her head. Was he mad? She tried to pull away from him but she was still weak. "Noâ€¦Eva, help." She was sobbing now. She felt so helpless.

Eva was there in a flash. "What's going on?" She took Max way from Logan and forced him to move back. "She needs her rest. I promise you she's fine, now go clean yourself up, you look like hell."

Logan looked at Eva with weary eyes. "If you say she's alrightâ€¦"

Eva silenced him with a look and turned her attention to Asha. Who was still staring at Max. Something was going on here. Logan was still standing, he wasn't paralysed and dying on the floor.

"What happen to her?"

"She died for Logan. Died, so she could save him."

Asha went pale, she knew about Logan and Max. She knew the reason why they couldn't be together, but something about the way this woman spoke made her realized that it was all about to change. "Will she be okay?"

"She'll be fine in the morning. I trust that you're a friend of Logan's? If you are then you know how much Max means to him." Eva watched Asha's face closely, "What they mean to each other."

_You were hurting her, hurting her by being close to Logan. Well, now she's free to be with Logan and the chance you thought you had is gone._

Eva hated her thoughts but her baby sister deserved to be happy. And she knew that Logan would make her happy. She saw it in the way they looked at each other. The way that they'd say each other's name, the unspoken love was in every little thing they did. And it was time that they had the chance to show it openly.

Asha said goodnight and left the apartment. Watching the retreating figure Eva had a feeling that the woman wouldn't be back in their lives any time soon.


	6. Moving On

Chapter 6 

**Disclaimer:**   
**Summary:**   
**Spoilers/Timeframe:**   
**Rating:**  (All as for Chapter One, nothing has changed)  
**A/N:** You know that this is getting really corny but I love that type of stuff. So you'll just have to make up your own fanfics if you don't like mine. I try to stick as closely as possible to character personalities but sometimes I can be off base. If you think that something doesn't work or sounds a little of key let me know, I'm still learning. Also I want to thank Kiki for all her honest reviews. After getting over the initial disappointment in myself, I pick up and work harder to write better fanfic. Thanks, Kiki for your positive criticisms, they make me do better.

***** 

Croan was getting agitated. They'd spent almost two weeks on this mission now and all they were pulling where blanks. 

"If we don't give them something soon, they'll reassign the mission…" 

A soldier interrupted his ranting by handing him a picture. "We got this from the local sector police. A dog was reported missing a couple hours ago. Think it belongs to our girl?" 

Croan studied the sketch, it was of a wolf with a distinctive dark patch between its eyes. He pulled out his file on the girl. One of the photos stood out. It was of a dog with that same mark, he smiled to himself, "I think we just got a lead. Missing, did you say? Find the dog, it just might prove useful." 

******  
Logan finished his shower and he got dressed slowly. He wasn't looking forward to confronting Eva, she was going to be mad. He wasn't crazy about the idea of being with an angry genetically engineered killer. At best they were unpredictable, he was anticipating the worst. 

_Stay in your wheelchair, maybe it might evoke some sympathy before she decides to start beating on you._

Eva was still in the lounge, sitting by Max. There was a small table beside her and it was covered with swabs, damp clothes, two vials, and a syringe. 

He had struggled to accept Eva's assurance that Max was fine. She didn't look all right, she look far from her usually feisty energetic self. She was asleep on the sofa, a cloth covering her eyes, the only movement being the steady rise and fall of her chest. Logan wheeled quietly over to them. Eva turned before he reached her. 

"Where have you been? You've been gone for ages." 

_Here goes…_It was going to come up soon or later. Somehow he'd been hoping he'd be able to procrastinate just a little longer. 

"It might sound really stupid but when Asha and I went to crack down on this smuggling ring we took Snuffy with us." He braced himself for an onslaught; none came. He glanced over at her, she was looking expectantly at him. 

"So what happened?" 

"…Well, he was with up for awhile, then he just disappeared. We've spent the rest of the time looking for him. I can tell you that it feels like we have looked all over Seattle." Logan hung his head. It had been a really stupid idea to bring the dog. Something whacked out in his brain had thought that the dog would be able to distract the mob whilst he and Asha tried to get their hands on some of their files. Snuffy had been obedient and responsive to him up until the moment they arrived at the warehouse. As soon as they opened the door to let him out, he'd been off like a rocket. Logan had sent Asha to go after Snuffy whilst he tried to get the files on his own. At the end of the day it had been nil return on both fronts. 

"He'll turn up, he always does…" She hesitated before continuing, she was still wrestling with the reality that Zack had left. "Logan, could you get me out of Seattle?" 

"But you haven't even been here for more than a few days." 

"I know and I'd love to spend more time with Max but it's just not safe here. It's a big city with lots of people, I'm sure Manticore is still searching and I don't think this is the best place to stick around." She looked down at Max and then back at Logan. "If I don't want to draw their attention to Max, it will be best to get out of here as soon as possible." 

Logan knew she was right and the last thing he wanted was to jeopardize Max's safety. He'd never willingly let her go but if she had to leave to save herself then he knew that he wouldn't stop her. 

"I'll see what I can set up." He was about to leave when he realized that he'd held Max and nothing had happened. He was still breathing. "Eva, tell me that I'm not dreaming." 

Eva knew without question what he was referring too. So he'd finally caught on. She smiled inwardly, and brushed a stray lock of hair from her sister's sleeping face. "I think that you'll have all the answers soon enough. Goodnight, Logan." She got up and walked toward the guest room. 

Logan just watched Max from where he sat, he dared not get any closer. Part of him knew he was awake but the other part of him didn't want to test reality. So many times he'd put his faith in promises and miracles only to have them come crashing down on him. He'd looked for Dr. Eva Tate to help him with his own insecurities, never dreaming of what she could do for both Max and himself. Slowly he wheeled himself over to where Max slept and placed a gentle kiss on her full lips. Then quietly left the room. 

_So what if he was stuck in a chair. So what if maybe he'd never walk on his own. Max was here and now there was nothing to stop them from being together. And they owed it all to Eva._

******  
Max chanced a peak around her. _Great my eyes don't sting!_ She opened her eyes and blinked, it was early morning. _Shit, I've gotta get to work_. She stood up in a rush and she realized her mistake immediately. The room tilted and she sat unsteadily back on the sofa, _Well, maybe not. Normal gonna have my ass, I skipped work yesterday and looks like this body's pulling a sick day. _

"Hey." 

Funny, she hadn't even realised that someone else was in the room. Logan was standing by the window staring out at what looked to be a clear day. He spoke to her reflection in the glass, "How do you feel?" 

"Like, some jack ass kicked me in the head and took a bat to my body. Other than that pretty average." 

The situation at present was extremely awkward. For so long they'd been unable to even get close to each other now that Manticore was no longer a threat, they both didn't know what to do next. In spite of everything, it seemed like the virus had been a way of ensure both of them kept their distance. Both emotionally and physically, now that the barrier was lifted they both had to face the truth and Max wasn't sure if she was ready to lay everything out. Where exactly did she fit in the scheme of things? Had anything changed between her and Logan? Did he still feel the same about her and she did for him? So many questions, she felt so unsure to ask. 

"Max…" 

"Morning." 

Eva had chosen that moment to walk into the room. She felt the tension before she even saw the occupants. But she had to leave. The sooner she was on her way, the better it would be for all of them. If she had to stay in the apartment even another hour she was sure that her resolve would weaken and she wouldn't have the will to go through with her plan. 

Logan turned from the window. "I got you a new passport and a job at a lab in Alaska. I don't know if you want to take it but my contact there says there's lots of potential for you to work in your own field. They run a small enterprise in organic cosmetics." Logan saw her raised brow. "Yeah I know, she's willing to help you continue your research if that's what you want?" 

"Eva, you're leaving?" 

Eva avoided Max's sad eyes. She'd understand one day but right now all she could see was a sister leaving her. "Thank you, Logan, for everything." She took the package he held out to her. She kissed him on the cheek and whispered in his ear, "Take care of her, or you'll hear from me." 

She sat on the sofa beside Max, and wrapped an arm around her little sister's shoulders. They hugged each other close. 

"Promise me you'll try and keep yourself out of trouble. I know that Snuffy will turn up, watch him for me, okay." She released Max and stood up. "I'll check in with you when I get there. I left some medication for you in the kitchen, enough for a week. You won't need more than that. And Max, while I was working on you I found this. What was it?" Eva held out a small piece of metal the size of a bean. Max looked in astonishment at the red implant, what was left of it anyway. 

"I never thought I'd ever get that out. How did you?" 

"When I put two of the injections in your back I noticed a mark forming on the base of your neck. Before I knew it, it had spread to the base of your skull. At first it was just a purplish colour, when it started getting puffy I decided it was time to investigate. I made an incision near your barcode and found this. The metal must have had a chemical reaction to the solution I'd given you, because it was dissolving. I took this bit out and after a couple of minutes the swelling died down and just the bruising remained. I can tell you it gave me a scare." 

Max explained to Eva that she stuck the implant in her head to fight the Reds. The implant was a South African invention to create a series of invincible soldiers, the implant increased strength, speed and caused the subject to feel no pain. Unfortunately it gave you a really short life span. 

"It almost killed me." 

Logan cringed with the memory, he'd watched helplessly as Max fought for her life against the Red soldiers and then later drop to the ground unconscious. He had brought her back by sending electric pulses through her brain and short-circuiting the implant, something he wouldn't do again. 

Eva looked from one to the other, she wasn't wrong when she assumed that these two seemed to be magnets for trouble. _Well they've survived this long, I'm sure they can tackle anything._ At least they had each other. Snuffy seemed to have abandoned her and well, Zack had shown where his commitments lay. And she didn't blame him, who would want to be tied to her. She was nothing but trouble too. She'd been fine this long because she never let herself get to close to anyone. Now she'd broken the only rule she'd ever made for herself. Never get yourself into something you can't handle. Funny thing was, she still didn't regret, throwing that one rule out the window for a few short hours. 

_Wherever you are, Zack, just know that some day, we'll see each other again and nothing will have changed for me…I still love you._


	7. Snowy Montana

**"One Night"**  
Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** I don't have ownership of any of these characters. They belong to their respective creators, including Cameron/Eglee Productions and 20th Century Fox Studios. The story is not for sale or resale it is written solely for _Dark Angel_ fans. No money is being made from the use of these characters.  
**Summary:** Logan goes to a Manticore doctor for help.  
**Spoilers/Timeframe:** Occurs after "Designate This".  
**Rating:** R  
**A/N:** Urgghhhh. This story is getting really frustrating. I've got the worst case of writer's block…somebody please just put her out of her misery. I'm warning you now cause the characters are going to suffer!__

***** 

It was winter; freezing cold outside and it just so happened that this particular morning, her car wouldn't start. Eva cursed and got out of the driver's seat. As her feet hit the ground, her boots went ankle deep into the snow. She didn't know what could have been worse, living in Vancouver, which was Zack's favorite destination, or living in Montana. The only reason she hadn't left by now was because she'd built a life for herself here. In the past eight months she'd established herself firmly in a top position at the cosmetics lab that Logan helped get for her. She'd convinced the board to allow her to do research into deep nerve and tissue repair for burn and accident victims. She had to start over in order not to blow her new identity. She was Dr. Sally Wright, a field doctor who transferred from Greenland to continue her research. 

Eva moved to the front of the vehicle and popped the hood. She noticed two things straight off; one, her main radiator hose was cracked and two, the engine coolant had frozen. _Just great, absolutely perfect!_ There was no way she was getting to work today. She'd just have to call the lab and tell them that she was stuck at home. Walking was out of the question, the Naturalist Laboratories was a good twelve miles north of where she lived and it was beginning to snow heavily. 

"Naturalist Labs, how can I help you?" A woman with a cheery voice greeted her. 

"Vivian, it's Sally. I won't be in today. My car's down and the weather's a no go for walking." 

She spoke with the receptionist for a few minutes longer then disconnected the call and dropped into a nearby sofa. Looking out at the falling snow she sighed, it was going to be a long and boring day. Stuck inside yet again, just last week she had stayed home from work because the road had been all snowed in. It had taken the ploughs two days to clear and she'd been house bound for almost three whole days. Luckily she had the Internet to keep her occupied, with no television or radio, she had very little else to pass the time. 

Walking through her small kitchen, she headed for the room and switched on the screen. The computer whirred away and soon she immersed herself in her special project, the one that she spent most of her time working on, a project that had become her mission to complete. 

The hours passed and when Eva glanced at the old wooden wall clock it read 3.50 p.m. Looking back at the data report on the screen she read the final calculations. The computer was ticking madly; she was still waiting for the machine to catch up. She could input and process faster then the machine it seemed and her impatience was being to show. She tapped her fingers on the hard top desk, her nails making soft clicking noises. Beep, the computer humming slowed. Eva scanned the results. She smiled and stood up to stretch her legs. It was finally done, she had covered every procedure and test process now came the time to put all her work into practice. Sitting back down she logged on to the Internet and accessed her email. Her fingers flew over the keyboard as she wrote the e-mail. It contained an important message, the recipient had waited long enough to receive this from her. It was about time that she had completed all her tests. Now all she could do was pray that all her efforts would prove a success. 

_Logan,  
It's been a long eight months. I'm sorry that this hasn't reached you sooner but I am not in the business of giving false hope.  
I've found a way to give you back your legs. That is if you haven't already found another way yourself.  
I'll be expecting you. I don't have to tell you where to reach me, you already know.  
Just one other thing, bring Bling. I'll need him and so will you.  
Love,  
Eva_

As Logan read the screen, his eye rapidly captured every word. With each passing sentence, his heart seemed to pound a little harder. She'd found a way, he realised he was breaking out in a sweat. He took a deep breath and pushed his chair way from his desk. For a moment he just stared into space, it was all too hard to believe. Was this reality or was he dreaming, was this even possible? Instinctively he reached for his phone, he had a call to make. 

Two hours later Logan and Bling were on their way to Anchorage, Alaska. From there, they would have to hire a vehicle to get to Montana, where Eva lived. Their flight went smoothly and they decided to waste no time and head straight for Naturalist Laboratories. 

Bling had only asked one question when Logan had called him. "How long would they need to be there?" Three days at most, had been the answer. He had heard the excitement in Logan's voice and even though every nerve in his body scream to advise caution he held it all back. His friend deserved this chance at a miracle and it there was anyone in the world that could offer that, it would be Eva. 

It so happened that it had been a clear morning that day and she had managed to get her truck fixed, her first day back at the lab and who was to turn up, Logan. As she had walked through the main office, Vivian had been all smiles, informing her that two gentlemen where waiting for her in lab 3. The receptionist had sent a cheeky wink her way before lowering her gaze and pretending to work, secretly watching Eva head in the direction of her lab. 

"So you're here?" 

Eva entered the small laboratory and eased the door closed behind her. In the sterile room, there was an operating table set up with stirrups mounted at one-end and restraining straps laid across the body of the table. Fluorescent lamps hung over the table and scatted around where various monitors and medical equipment. Amongst the machines and lamps was a mobile bench covered with needles, chemicals and a few interesting looking gadgets. Standing awkwardly beside the chemical cabinet off to on side was Bling, looking apprehensive. Logan was nowhere to be seen. 

Bling turned the moment her heard her voice. She had entered the room silently and he'd been startled by her presence. He looked at the Eva, she was dressed in a large white lab coat, with black slacks and a thick woollen jumper. Her leather boots reached her shins and were still shiny wet from walking in the snow. Her hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail and her cheeks were flushed. He hadn't seen her in over eight months but it seemed that she could still instantly draw you like a magnet the second she entered around. Bling cleared his throat. 

"Logan, ah, he just went to the bathroom. He should be back any minute." 

Eva could read his emotion from where she stood, he was radiating nervousness and she knew she had to change his mood. She would need his support to get though the procedure and she wouldn't get it with him sweating his wits away. She made her way over to him and put her hand gently on him forearm. 

"Bling, I've been working towards this for a very long time, the last thing I want is to add to previous Logan's disappointments. I have absolute faith in this treatment but I will need one hundred percent commitment from you to ensure success. You'll need to hold Logan back, he'll need you're expert care and guidance." She searched his eyes and hesitantly took his hand in hers. "Can you promise me that?" 

Bling squeezed her small hand a gripped it tightly in his. "I'll do everything you ask." He said those words with conviction and their eye contact never waived. Eva gave him a grateful smile. She knew what she was asking, Logan wouldn't be able to afford Bling's personal care and he wouldn't ask for it. With their eyes, they answered the unspoken questions and the promise was sealed. For Bling, Logan started out as his employer but he'd become much more than that. Logan was his friend, his mentor and now he would need his help. For someone he considered as close as family, he made a mental promise to do all he could to ensure Logan's full recovery. 

The moment Bling and Eva ceased their conversation Logan entered the room. Eva turned to address her patient, an encouraging smile brightening her serious expression. 

"Are you ready?" 

"Let's do it." 

Logan made his way over to the table and picked up the short robe that lay across it. He disrobed down to his cotton boxers and then lay face down on the table as Eva instructed. She went through directions as she strapped him in. 

"The treatment will take effect immediately and you will regain feeling in your limbs within an hour of the procedure's completion. Logan, I have to warn you that there could be muscle spasms and cramping for a few weeks but with exercise and rest that will stop. Your body has to get accustomed to the changes. Be patient, it will take at least a month of the therapy I've prescribed before you can function to full capacity. I've given Bling all the details and you can go over them later. He's the professional, Logan, let him take care of your progress and don't question his direction. I need your agreement on that, it's important." 

At that moment, Logan would promise the world. What she was asking sounded so simple, but he knew from experience that patience was never easy. He gave her a winning smile. 

"Whatever you say, doc." 

Eva returned his smile and moved toward the bench, even though she could see that he was extremely nervous, he'd still managed to crack a joke. "Just relax, Logan, trust me." One second he'd been about to speak again and the next everything slipped away into blackness. 

Eva plugged up the laser as soon as she noted the anaesthetic kick in. All the while Bling watched silently at the end of the table. Eva charged the laser and connected the cables from her disbursement glove to the nose of the handheld laser. She picked up a big bottle of pink gel off the bench and proceeded to squirt it all over Logan's lower body. 

"Bling, could put on those gloves and help spread the gel. It needs to cover his skin." 

Bling did as she asked and after they both finished, Eva picked up the disbursement glove and slipped it on her left hand. With her right hand, she gripped the laser, it was the one that Max had mistaken for a gun, almost activating the laser by pulling the trigger. With her gloved had hovering at Logan's feet, Eva pulled back on the trigger. A blue haze pooled at her fingertips and spread across the palm of her gloved hand, soon it was a bright glow that cast it's healing light over Logan's feet. 

Eva travelled slowly upward covering every muscle and each nerve in Logan's lower body. The procedure was a tedious process but Eva's concentration never wavered. As she reached the base of his spine, his muscles started convulsing. At first, it was a small tremor and in a few seconds, Logan's body was wracked with spasms and was straining against the holding straps. Eva immediately released the trigger and the laser shut down. She cast a worried glance at Bling. 

"We need to bring him out, his body's going into shock. I need your help." 

"Just tell me what to do." 


	8. Love Hurts

**"One Night"**  
Chapter 8  
  


**Disclaimer:** I don't have ownership of any of these characters. They belong to their respective creators, including Cameron/Eglee Productions and 20th Century Fox Studios. The story is not for sale or resale it is written solely for _Dark Angel_ fans. No money is being made from the use of these characters.  
**Summary:** Logan goes to a Manticore doctor for help.  
**Spoilers/Timeframe:** Occurs after "Designate This".  
**Rating:** R  
**A/N:** Thanks Kiki for all your reviews, you don't know how much they do for me. :o)

***** 

There was not one star in the sky. Everything was dark, gray thick clouds banished the moonlight. Below silent angry black waves crashed over jagged rocks, as they broke they created masses of white foam. High above it all was Logan, suspended in a glass sphere planted on the side of the cliff face. Inside his prison orb, the air was warm but the scene below was enough to send a chill down Logan's spine. He shivered, dark thoughts sending him reeling. What if the glass broke, when would he run out of oxygen, would someone come to his rescue? He closed his eyes, his body quaking with fear and he let his forehead rest against the cool glass. It was his last gesture, almost accepting this horrible fate. He would die alone, high in his fragile globe. 

As he leaned there, trying to close his mind to his present situation, his thoughts drifted to his angel. She still didn't know how truly special she was. Max would always be his angel and he loved her more that life itself. He had to laugh at his pathetic life; it seemed predestined that everything he touched or loved would die, leaving him alone. Well at least now, Max was safe and maybe she would be better off without him. 

Just when he was about to surrender all hope, a voice pierce through the haunting silence. "Trust me, Logan, let go of your fear and trust me." 

Eva's voice was so comforting, it seemed to seep into his body and sooth all his ragged nerves. He had complete faith in her abilities and without thinking he sat up and let his body fall back against the surface of the sphere. The glass shattered upon impact and even as he felt the wind and heard that roaring sea, the panic never came. He didn't felt the rocks digging into his flesh, nor did he hit the water. Logan drifted into a peaceful blackness once again. 

The heart monitor settled to a steady beat and the muscles spasms ceased. Both Bling and Eva breathed relief. It had been a scary episode. 

Eva set up her equipment again ready to resume the treatment. As she put on her glove, she glanced up at Bling. "I'm almost done, start praying that doesn't happen again." 

"Do you think that he heard you? 

"I'm not sure, but if he did it seemed to have the right effect." 

"I know that Logan has faith in you. I believe you can do this, too." 

Eva gave Bling a grateful smile and then focused her attention on Logan's back. She pulled on the laser's trigger and continued working. It wouldn't be much longer now. She hoped that the rest of the procedure would go on without interruption. 

******  
Logan lay on a narrow bed, above him an old lamp hung casting a dim glow about the room. Warn looking curtains adorned the window and the walls were bare. As soon as the operation had been completed, Eva and Bling had transferred Logan to a stretcher and piled into a borrowed van. They wanted to move Logan to a more comfortable bed, a sparsely padded laboratory-operating table wouldn't make much of a resting place. They had headed straight for Eva's small home in Montana. 

In exchange for the used of the lab, Eva had made a deal with the board of directors. She would film the procedure for Naturalist Labs and give them her research regarding the new treatment. 

They would in turn provide her with all the material and equipment she required to treat Logan. Thinking back now, she realised that she'd taken a huge risk. Years ago she had been working on the same project and someone was bound to recognise it but she'd went ahead with everything anyway. She knew the risk but her heart was telling her it was worth it. Eva knew the story behind Logan's accident; she had Max tell her all about it. She also knew that Max, Logan and Bling were keeping a secret from her. With her keen intelligence and super genetic eyes, she figured out Logan's alter ego almost immediately. She smiled to herself, let them think that they still have their secret. It didn't bother her anyway. As she trudged back from the van to the labs entrance, she pulled the folds of her wool overcoat tighter together. If she got any bigger, she would need to buy a larger winter coat. 

Bling entered the small bedroom to check on Logan, he found him still asleep. "I've never met anyone who loves sleeping as much as you." 

Logan stirred and blinked slowly. "Why do I feel so stiff?" His words came out slurred and whispered. All of a sudden, shudders wracked his body. As the spasms subsided, he groaned and dropped his head deep into the pillow. 

"It will be okay, your muscles are cramped and you haven't moved for a few hours. Eva says you're doing fine." Bling moved toward Logan and helped him sit up by stuffing some extra pillows behind him for support. "How do you feel?" 

Logan looked down at his legs, two unmoving limbs beneath a thick wooden blanket. He tried his toes and felt the first sensation, the softest feeling of the bed sheet brushing across his big toes. Like wild fire, his nerves came alive. He felt the rough mattress cover under his legs, the sheets brushing across his skin and moving against his hairs. 

Bling did have to ask what he was feeling, it was written all over his face. "It's happening, isn't it?" 

"I can't believe this, I can feel everything." Logan made a move to get up off the bed but Bling was at his side in a flash. 

"Not so fast partner, it's a bit soon for that. It will happen, I promise. We have to go easy." 

Logan settled back and resigned to being patient, for now. He was grinning with the satisfaction of all the sensations that were racing over his body. He leaned back against the pillows and pulled his arms up behind his head, he smiled at big boyish grin at Bling. "So where is our miracle worker?" 

Bling avoided Logan's cheery gaze and looked past him to the window. Outside the trees where all dusted white and the wintry mist was still in the air. He'd been hoping that particular question go unasked for at least a little time longer. He rocked on his heels uncomfortably. It was obvious that Logan hadn't noticed a change in Eva. He'd been too wrapped up in his own excitement to really concentrate on anything but his operation. However, Bling had been watching Eva and he'd noticed the changes in her. She was a lot more reserved than before and even a little distant. Bling had had his suspicions at the lab but her oversized white coat had concealed most of her figure from view. It wasn't until they were transferring Logan to her home that his suspicions where confirmed. Eva was pregnant. She hadn't been overly large but her round belly couldn't be hidden, even under the thick bulky sweater, she'd been wearing. Who was the father, he hadn't the guts to ask. Nevertheless, the curiosity was starting to nag at him. She had left after making sure that both Logan and he were comfortable. Eva had told him that she would have to go back to the lab. Something about having to meet with the board and discuss the treatment she used. She wouldn't be back. She passed on all the instructions regarding Logan's care for the following months and asked if she could be updated on his progress. Bling took the subtle hint. She wasn't anymore comfortable about the situation than he was. It was obvious she wasn't going to discuss her condition with either of them, so he just kept his mouth shut. But it never crossed his mind until now, just how was he going to explain her absence to Logan. 

"Bling?" 

Bling snapped out of his reverie. Logan was sitting there, looking curiously at him. He would hate keeping this from Logan but he didn't see another way. It was Eva's responsibly and she would tell them if she wanted to. Even as he spoke, he was kicking himself. 

"She had to go back the lab, and we'll be outta here before she gets back." At Logan's raised eyebrow, he ploughed on. "She's got a heap of work to finish and she's left us all the details you need regarding your recovery. We can head back as soon as you feel up to flying." 

Logan's brain was ticking over time. Something wasn't right about all this but he was itching to get back to Seattle, so he held back from pressing Bling. Eva had her reasons for doing what she did and he'd have to catch her another time. He'd be forever grateful to her for all she'd ever done. The minute he got a chance, he'd make sure she knew just how important she was to all of them. 

******  
As they stepped through the door of Logan's penthouse neither Bling nor Logan had a chance to say a word before Max all but pounced on them. 

"Where the hell have you been?" Max ignored Bling and was holding herself back from strangling Logan. She had almost lost her mind with worry. He hadn't told her he was going out of town and the whole time he was gone, he'd been unreachable. The first time she'd called his cell phone she got his answering service and she hadn't been to pissed but by the fifth call, she was trying to keep her panic in check. She tried Bling but as she'd guessed Bling had gone, too. Staring at the both her eye's blazing she realised Logan was in his wheelchair. She moved closer and dropped down in front of him. 

"Never do that again, I'm so sick of killing myself over you. Do you have any idea of how worried I was?" She searched his eyes begging for regret or something. "Are you going to tell me what happened?" 

Logan avoided her hurt expression and slowly manoeuvred away from her. Bling stayed by the door. He knew better than to try to get involved. Stay silent and invisible, it was the safest course of action. 

"I went to see Eva." 

"You went without me!" 

Max had to plant her feet to control the urge to go and tip him out of that wheelchair. Sometimes he could be so insensitive. It seemed like a lifetime had passed since Eva had left, she would have loved to go and see her sister. Logan had left her behind, knowing how she felt and he'd done it anyway. 

Logan let her seethe. Whatever had made him think that he could keep this from her? He'd wanted to surprise her, yep, him and his bright ideas. He looked up at her; she'd started pacing his kitchen. Her face held a stormy expression, as she caught his gaze she turned and marched over to the window, her back facing him. Well, he'd better explain or she'd be unbearable for the next few weeks. Despite everything that had happened between them, it seemed that nothing would ever change. Since the threat of the virus had been obliterated, Max had still kept her distance both physically and emotionally. Whether she was protecting herself or him, he couldn't quite figure it out. At the present moment, he could feel her moving further away from him with each passing second. He knew what she was thinking and he wanted to halt that train of thought immediately. He knew that her trust was fragile and he need to reassure her that he would never hurt her or keep anything from her. 

"Max…" 

She turned at the sound of his voice, silent tears were streaming down her face. Her voice came out choked as little sobs were threatening to erupt. "It's never been about you walking, not for me." She turned away from him and resumed her pacing. When would he understand that? All she wanted from him was…what? Love was a weak emotion, it clouded your judgement, made you vulnerable. Look at her now, she was a snivelling mess but no matter how hard she tried to fight it, the tears kept coming. 

"Max, I need to try, any opportunity offered I would take. I have to walk again." 

He paused at glanced over at Bling. With that one look, Bling understood and he moved quietly to Logan's side, capably he helped Logan to stand upright. Max had ceased her pacing and stood staring out into the night but in the glass, she caught Logan's reflection. He was standing, Bling was offering a supportive arm and with slow, careful steps Logan made his way to her. She didn't turn around and pretended not to notice his progress. With her enhanced hearing ability she couldn't make out the distinct noise the exoskeleton made. So, he got his wish but how long would it last? He'd been offered his dream once before, only to having it unravel before his eyes. She wanted to have hope but in her experience home never amount to anything. To put faith in hope was to set yourself up for a fall. The disappointment it could bring hurt a lot, much like being in love. Yes, she'd admit it; she loved Logan and if she'd spend most of her life worrying about him and saving his ass, well so be it. Because she just couldn't help loving him, that smile, those clear blue eyes, everything about him made her feel weird inside. Like, she would die without him. Just thinking about it she didn't want to remember how she felt when she was away from him. No matter how much it hurt at times, she knew she would never stop loving him. A gentle touch brushed her shoulder. 

"Max?" 

She turned around and found herself inches from him. His eyes locked with hers, a silent apology written in their depths. She'd forgiven him the moment he'd walked through the door. He was alive and he'd come back to her that was enough. At that moment his legs buckled, both Bling and Max caught him. 

"I think that'll do it for today." Bling helped Max guide Logan to a chair, Logan taking slightly unsteady steps. "It will all come with time. If you ask me, it's all a little to unreal. For someone who was paralysed, you've come a long way." He smiled at both Logan and Max, he slapped Logan on the shoulder. "And I'll see you in the morning. Bye, Max." As he left, Bling chuckled to himself. It had been a long couple of days. He wondered just how Logan was going to explain himself out of this one. 

******  
"So you can walk again." Max leaned her head on Logan's shoulder. She had huddled herself between Logan and the corner of the sofa. 

Logan wrapped an affectionate arm around her small frame. He bent his head to breathe in her hair, it was soft and sweet smelling under his nose. He chose him words carefully in reply. 

"Eventually, I should be better than before. All the nerve, muscles and tendons good as new." 

Max looked up at him and put a tentative hand on his thigh, she felt the muscles bunch at her though. Her surprise showed in her eyes. 

Logan chuckled, "I can feel everything, but I'm still a little weak in the knees." He saw as smile tug at the corners of her mouth and he grinned. She could never resist that smile, those lips. He saw her eyes smoulder and where their attention was focused. Closing the distance between them, he touched his lips to hers and for that moment, the world and all its worries dissolved. 

Max was drowning in the sweet assault of Logan's mouth when a tingling pulse ran up her spine. The sensation hand nothing to do with the current emotions sweeping her body. Nor was it a warning for oncoming seizures. This was very different and a feeling of apprehension chilled her blood, something was very wrong. 

"Max? What is it?" Logan stared at her, she had a distant and worried look in her eyes. She had broken their kiss all of a sudden and now he could feel her tensing in his arms. "Max?" He shook her gently, begging her to break out of her silence and tell him what was bothering her. She always felt that that she had to deal with all her problems on her own. He desperately wanted to be a part of her. She accused him of keeping things from her, well majority of herself was locked away from him, too. 

"Can you contact Eva?" 

Logan looked surprise but nodded. "Her number is speed dial number six." 

Max launched herself off the sofa and grabbed the phone, dialling she waited impatiently for the call to connect. Eva's voice greeted her, "You've called me, I'm not in, please leave a message." Her ear perked, she could hear voices. They were distant, maybe outside the house. She wasn't sure but she kept quiet and trained her ears to pick up the conversation. "Are you sure this is her house? We have wasted enough time as it is. She and the dog seemed to have just vanished. This is our last chance. We don't get her today, they'll take us off the mission and deploy the X7." Max wanted to hear more but the tape ended and the call disconnected. The phone hung in her limp hand. She'd didn't recognise the voice but she didn't have to, he was sent from Manticore and she had to get to Eva. 

Logan read her features, there was trouble and for his sake, she tried to hide her expression but she failed. Eva was in trouble. "I'll get us on the next flight." 

Max looked up and locked eyes with him, it was then that he knew that the situation was worse than he expected. "We're too late. They're already there." 

Logan was stunned. How could they have possibly found her? These people were unbelievable, nowhere was safe. He'd sent Eva to Alaska feeling absolutely confident that they wouldn't find her. She gave him more than he could ever repay and this is what he did for her in return. He cursed himself, this couldn't be happening. Why, why now, why them? He struggled to get up but his legs just wouldn't support him. Max got his chair and wheeled it over to him and for once, he didn't fight her offered help. 

All the while they prepared to leave Max kept telling herself that Eva would be all right. She was a well-trained soldier, she was smart and she could take care of herself. But something kept nagging her, making her feel nervous. The sooner they got to Eva, the better she would feel. 


	9. What of Death?

**"One Night"**  
Chapter 9  
 

**Disclaimer:** I don't have ownership of any of these characters. They belong to their respective creators, including Cameron/Eglee Productions and 20th Century Fox Studios. The story is not for sale or resale it is written solely for _Dark Angel_ fans. No money is being made from the use of these characters.  
**Summary:** Logan goes to a Manticore doctor for help.  
**Spoilers/Timeframe:** Occurs after "Designate This".  
**Rating:** R  
**A/N:**

***** 

She dropped out of the truck and slammed the door shut. It was late, probably close to midnight; the moon was full and cast a pale blue glow over everything in sight. She shivered, pulling her jacket tighter; she trudged to the porch of her small colonial style home. She was probably the only person in the entire state of Alaska without a radio or television. Somehow, that fact never bothered her, suppose it had to do with the idea that she liked to feel apart from everything else. Distant, perhaps disconnected, it never occurred to her that being without such simple forms of communication could be dangerous. She turned to wave to Maria, as the truck started to pull away from the house. Maria had offered her a lift home after work, since her wheels where still out of action. It had been two days since she had performed the procedure on Logan. Bling had called her to say that they where headed back to Seattle this morning. They would be safely home by now. She smiled a sad smile, she didn't regret that she'd left them behind as she did but she did miss being with everyone. She missed Max, Snuffy, Logan, Bling, most of all she missed Zack. 

The truck was half a mile down the road and soon it would disappear through the trees. Putting her overnight bag on the porch, she fished for her keys. A chill crept up her spine; she got the distinct feeling that she was being watched. Putting the key in the lock, she turned slowly to look over her shoulder. To her right, nothing, a light wind picked up the soft snow and made a cloudy mist. It was hard to make out anything past the cluster of trees near the house. As she turned back towards the door, she started to turn the key. It was then that she heard movement behind her. The feeling of ice-cold metal pressed to her neck made her freeze. She didn't have time to react, it was if her assailant materialized from thin air. 

"Don't move a finger, put your hands were I can see them. You even flinch and I'll blow your pretty head off." Eva acted as she was told. " 'ata girl, they'd prefer you alive but with the resources you cost us, I won't hesitate to bring you in dead. At this point, dead or alive will do just fine." Croan grinned wickedly. This was all going real easy. "Now turn around slowly." 

For safety sake, he backed away a few paces, allowing freedom to react if she tried anything. Over the passing months, he had been reduced to a five-man team. The board could not afford to allow anymore. They had wasted enough of Manticore's resources on the renegade X5 series. Now with the whole Manticore operation under threat, they needed to lay low and conserve their resources as much as possible. Croan gritted his teeth, today was it. They had been chasing this particular X5 all across America. The board was getting edgy for results, well today they'd get them. 

As she turned around, Croan caught sight of her stomach. It was the size of a small beach ball. His mouth dropped open and his eyes where glued to her belly. The split second diversion was all that she needed. Eva moved to disarm him. She wasn't fast enough, _Darn her sluggish response. Damn this oversized body._

******  
Zack had come to see Eva, he hadn't planned to leave it so long but he didn't get a choice in the matter. He knew that the minute he left she wouldn't stick around. Part of him expected that she would disappear but the other part of him wished that she would try to contact him. It had taken months of pestering Logan to get information out of him. As usual, it took Max's intervention for them to reach an agreement. 

_Well time to face reality_, he climbed the small embankment. Nearing the top, a shot rang sharp in the air. He hurried toward the source of the sound, his heart pounding. Standing less than a hundred metres from the house, he surveyed the scene before him. A woman with long dark hair lay sprawled on the ground, a man dressed in black stood above her. His gun trained at her head. 

_Eva_, his brain screamed. He stopped thinking rationally and his legs moved on impulse, running like the wind toward the pair. Zack didn't even hesitate, he didn't look and he didn't scout for possible danger. A perilous mistake, because hidden in the trees was another soldier. The man had his sights on Zack and was ready to take out his target. The gunman cocked his rifle; he flinched when he heard a snarl and a wolf jumped him, sending his shot off the mark. 

Snuffy jumped on the gunman and tackled the gun away. The shot caused both Zack and the man in black to turn around. Snuffy was in the trees snarling and fighting, the gunman was pinned to the ground and screaming in pain. 

The man in black saw Zack, took aim and fired but his shot didn't hit Zack. Eva had managed to knock Croan off balance by punching him in the back of the knee. Zack covered the distance between them and with one movement he snapped the man's neck. He left the lifeless body to fall on the ground in a heap by Eva. By then, a pool of blood had formed beneath Eva and she was slowly drifting into unconsciousness. Zack dropped to his knees and gently turned Eva over onto her back. Her eyes were closed, blood had soaked through all her clothing making it all sticky and icy. The cold set in and her body started quaking. He quickly assessed the situation and decided on his course of action. First, he would get her cleaned up and then patch the damage. Picking her up he headed inside. 

She was a lot heavier than he remembered and although he carried her with ease, he couldn't help but puzzle over it. Hugging her close to his body, he noticed that she was a lot larger around the midsection. But those thoughts where quickly banished as he searched for a suitable place to lay her down. 

Zack placed Eva down on the kitchen table, it would have to do as a makeshift op table for now. He had to go through her emergency supplies, he only hoped that she'd have all he needed. Lighting an oil lamp and some candles, he made sure that she was stable and then ran in search of her medical equipment. When he came back with her metal equipment and supplies box, he found Snuffy whimpering beside Eva. The blood was still oozing and dripping off the end of the table, collecting in a tiny puddle on the floor. He had to plug that wound or she'd bleed to death. He set the box down on the kitchen bench and tore open Eva's jacket and jumper, splitting the material clean in half. Underneath she had on thermal underwear, all soaked dark red and clinging to her like a second skin. Ripping the reminder of her clothing off, she lay naked to the waist. Her skin usually creamy white was stained with blood. As his gaze traveled downward, his eyes caught sight of her stomach. Previously concealed by her bulky overcoat it was now in plain view. He cautiously placed his hand on the mound. When his hand met her skin, he felt a sharp kick beneath his touch. He jumped back as if burned. 

He shook his attention away from her belly. There was no time for that now. Eva was fading fast; he only wished that there was someone else to help him. He didn't even have enough time to start a fire. He would have to work quickly. She could easily die from one of two things; the cold or loss of blood. Or maybe both. 

Focusing on her upper body, he started cleaning way the blood. He did it as best he could with swabs; the bullet had gone clean through. The entry point was high on the left side of her chest, just above her breast. As the swab brushed past the wound, he heard her wheeze. It was only a tiny sound but he picked it up. The wheeze turned into a soft gurgling noise, then the choking sound came. He ransacked the box desperately looking for the item he needed. Finding it, he doused it with alcohol and without a second thought, he plunged it deep into her chest. Pushing the release valve, he listened as the air hissed out. He let out a shaky breath. Pressure had built in her lungs and if hadn't been released she would have suffocated. 

With the crisis passed, he continued to work on her. He patched her up and applied a little pressure to the wound. He had no way of assessing how bad the wound was or what was going on inside. He's aim was to slow the bleeding and get her medical attention as soon as possible. How he was going to manage that he wasn't entirely sure. Lifting her upper body as gently as possible, he wrapped thick bandages around her chest. Binding both the entry and exit wounds. Settling her back down, he went to find something to keep her warm. When he came back, he pulled off her wet boots and pants and bundled her in a woolen blanket. 

Snuffy was still huddled nearby whimpering, Zack stopped for a minute to part the dog's fluffy head. "She'll be fine boy, I promise." Big ice blue eyes fixed their gaze on him, so trusting. Even as he said those words, he wasn't so positive about Eva's condition. He had to get her to a hospital, how was the question. Both Zack and Snuffy were alerted at the same time, engines approaching. They had more company. 

******  
Two vans arrived at Eva's small house simultaneously. Max halted the rental van she was driving and stared out the front windscreen. Even though the snow was falling steadily, it hadn't yet covered the dark patch of snow near Eva's front door. A foot from that lay a figure, unmoving in the snow. The black unmarked van screeched to a halt and three men jumped out, one headed for the trees the other two towards the house. 

"Oh no you don't." Max launched herself out of the van and started running. Logan had been about to warn her but kept his mouth shut at the last moment. She knew to be careful and at this point, any distraction could be fatal. 

Logan watched the scene unfold before him and felt powerless to help. Max reached the first man just as he was reaching to turn over the unmoving figure. She took him out with two swift kicks to the head. Before he could even blink, Logan saw a man with pale hair take out the second man with two punches in the stomach and with a round-house kick, the man fell unconscious to the ground. Both Max and Zack turned at the sound on an engine. The black van floored its accelerator and left, tires squealing and icy snow flying in all directions. 

Zack turned back to Max. "Forget them, we have to get Eva to a doctor or she's not going to make it." Zack hurried back into the kitchen were Eva lay. Max gasped when she saw all the blood. It was everywhere, bloody torn clothes scattered on the floor, soaked swabs, bloodstains on the table and the floor around where Eva lay. 

"There's so much blood." Max couldn't tear her eyes away for the horrific sight before her. Eva's face was so pale in the dim light. Almost gray looking, close to death. "We have to get her out of here. Come on, Logan's in the van, he'll know where to take her." 

Zack nodded silently. Even though he hated to acknowledge it, it was really something to have someone like Logan on your side. Zack picked Eva up and made sure that she was warmly wrapped, whilst Max collected a still sullen Snuffy. Together they headed out past the group of still bodies and piled into the rental van. 

"What happened?" Logan stared at Eva who lay unconscious in Zack's arms. Even as he asked, Max gunned the engine. 

"She got shot in the chest. We need to get her to a doctor," Zack stated. 

"Where can we go?" Max threw at Logan. 

"There's hospital in Palmer, I have a contact there. He'll help us." Logan said that with doubt in his eyes, which Max saw. They all knew that Eva had lost far too much blood. Something Logan didn't want to mention was just how far Palmer was. It was a good forty miles away. He prayed that Eva would be able to hold out long enough. He didn't have to tell Max to step on the gas. She knew that time was short; she was putting all her attention into driving full speed and keeping the car on the road. 

_Eva…I do need you…just hold on… _


	10. Mortality

**"One Night"**  
Chapter 10  
 

**Disclaimer:** We'd all be dreaming if I owned Dark Angel. Sure I have a very creative imagination but if Fox Studios paid me for a television series, I don't think it would even come close to the hot DA series. So you get the gist, I don't own any of these characters, etc… I just like toying with them in my head. You get to read the results.  
**Summary:** Logan goes to a Manticore doctor for help.  
**Spoilers/Timeframe:** Occurs after "Designate This".  
**Rating:** R  
**A/N:** _You know that this is getting really corny but I love that type of stuff. So you'll just have to make up your own fanfics if you don't like mine. Montana is a city in Alaska. __I don't know if it was a sign or not but I had a hell of time trying to post Chapter 9. I took me an hour to get it posted and then my connection kept dropping out, tell me this is all worth it? Sorry this chapter took me a little longer than usual. This is my last week of holidays before I go back to work and I had heaps to do. I hope that it was worth your wait. Tell me what you think, it will probably determine whether I finish this story or just drop it. Trust me, just one review will make a difference._

***** 

_Where am I? This doesn't feel right, I can't move. What is this?_ His whole body was strapped to the bed. Argh… His chest and back killed. He couldn't feel anything below his waist and why couldn't he move his head? _What in the hell happened. I'm supposed to be addressing the board any minute. I had her…didn't I? _

Joseph Croan laid still and stared up at the ceiling, the plain concrete ceiling with hanging fluorescent lights. This place didn't even look remotely familiar. Closing his eyes, he struggled to remember the past events. Anything leading up to the present, trying hard to recall just how he'd ended up in half vegetative state. 

"So you're awake. You'd have to be the luckiest man alive." Her words dripped acid. As she approached him, Maria held back from pulling the pins that supported his head. Just one pin, that's all it would take. No one would know it was her and by morning he would be beyond saving. She still remembered dropping Sally home only a few hours before. As she drove through the trees, the oddest feelings had shaken her. She hated driving so late at night but both Sally and herself had worked back late. They were compiling all Sally's documents to present to the board. Dr. Sally Wright had developed a device that could reverse nerve and tissue damage. Something never created or tried. Within hours, the patient's past injuries would be healed. She had now seen it for herself. That knowledge made Maria shiver involuntarily. 

"We need medical attention!" 

Two uniformed soldiers burst into the laboratory. It was only a couple hours past midnight and even though Naturalest Laboratories was never closed, there was only one doctor in the entire complex. Security had paged Dr. Maria Santos the minute the men had burst through the front gates. When she had only hesitated to step forward, one of the men had raised a gun to her head and told her if she didn't save them all, she'd be dead. 

"Help me wheel them into Lab 3. I'll do what I can." Maria reluctantly helped put one of the men onto a trolley and wheeled him to the lab. "Tell me what happened." There were two injured. The other three seemed okay, two had some cuts and bruises about the face but they were standing all the same. The man on the trolley was motionless and his head sat at an odd angle. "Are you going to at least tell me what happened to him?" She gestured at Croan. 

"His neck is broken," the man said it a matter-of-factly. The technician and the others keep walking. 

Maria had stopped when she heard 'broken', was it just her or did everyone think that this man was still alive. "Well sorry to say boys but he's going in as KIA." The aggressive one re-aimed his gun at her head. 

"We didn't come here for nothing sweet. We know that you can save him. Dr. Sally Wright or should I say Dr. Eva Tate worked here, didn't she?" he said that with a cocky smile and wicked undertones. "We know what she created. Thing is are you willing to use it?" He rechecked his clip and whacked it back in with satisfaction. Retraining the gun at her he asked, "What's it gonna be?" 

"We have work to do." 

Three hours later, both men where stable and Maria had witnessed a miracle first hand. She had used Sally's device to save him. She had seen it at work on tape but now she had used it first hand. Security informed her that all of these men, particularly the one she had saved, had been to the lab the previous day. Looking for Sally. What did they want with Sally? That same sick feeling plagued her. She didn't like the fact that these men where injured and rough. Had anything happened to Sally? Still feeling unsettled she went to her office and dialed Sally's home number. 

"Come on, pick up. Please be there, Sally." Maria bit her lip and tapped a pen nervously on the desk. She slammed the telephone back down. No one there, just the machine. _Where are you, Sally?_

******  
Max paced the lounge, if someone didn't come out of that operating room soon. She'd wear a hole in the floor. 

"Max, please sit down," Logan pleaded. He hated seeing her so nervous, but in truth there was nothing he could say to comfort her. Anything he said would sound false, even to his own ears. Zack was donating blood, just as Max had done half an hour before. When they'd arrived Eva had been rushed to the operating room. Logan had called his contact and informed him that he would be bringing in an Eyes Only informant. One that was in dire need of medical attention. As they waited Logan retraced the events of the past few hours. 

He and Max had jumped on the next available flight to Anchorage and then driven a van to Eva's house in Montana. Upon arrival, they had found out what they already feared. They had been too late. Max had made it to the hospital in record time, the whole time Logan had been praying. More than once the van had threatened to veer off the road but somehow Max had kept it under her control. They arrived at Palmer County Hospital in less than twenty minutes, a miracle. And all in one piece too. 

"Max…" 

"What if she dies, Logan, what then?" Max had stopped pacing and was cramped in a tight bundle on the floor. Tears were coursing down her face. "I don't want to lose her again." She buried her head in her knees. 

Logan slid off his chair and slowly made his way over to her. Every minute he was feeling stronger and even now, as he leaned on his cane he could feel the hard tile floor beneath his feet. "We did what we could, Max, she's a tough girl. A fighter just like you." As he made a move to pull her into his arms, he caught sight of Zack headed their way. 

"Hey, don't let me stop you." 

His voice held such bitterness and hopelessness, that it pull Max out of her trance. "Zack?" Through teary eyes Max looked at her brother. His clothes were disheveled and there were patches of dried blood on his jacket. His eyes were red rimmed, from crying or from lack of sleep, Max was sure he wouldn't say. Zack dropped into the nearest chair and ran a shaky hand through his thick blonde hair. 

"It was only a matter of time," he ground out. His icy blue eyes watered but he wouldn't cry. Soldiers don't cry. It was stupid to think you were safe. The biggest mistake you could make was let your guard down. Well obviously, Eva had let it down in a big way. "Did you know that she was pregnant?" 

Both Max and Logan sat dumbfounded. Logan was sure that his jaw hit the ground, had he heard correctly. Where in blazes did Zack get that idea? He had seen Eva less than three days ago and there had been nothing to imply that she was pregnant. 

Max looked from Zack to Logan and back again. It was obvious that Logan had no idea what was going on. 

"How long do you think she is?" Max asked with a whispered voice. 

Zack shifted uncomfortably in his seat, he avoided Max's moist brown eyes and stared at the wall in front of them. "I don't know, she not huge or anything." All of a sudden, he launched out of his seat and started pacing. His abrupt movement startled Logan but it just made Max even more nervous. "We have to get rid of it." 

"What!" Max jumped off the floor with that remark. She grabbed Zack by his jacket and shook him hard. "First, it's not your decision to make. Second, where do you get off saying something like that. Really Zack, I though you had a heart." She shoved him away. "You even hint something like that to Eva and I swear I'll kick your ass so hard, that you won't feel that you have one anymore." Whirling from him, she dropped back down next to Logan. 

They all jumped at the sound of doors flapping. Footsteps echoed down the corridor toward them and they all stood nervously awaiting news on Eva's condition. 

As Dr, Andrew Collins approached to anxious group, he flustered around his brain for the best way to break the news. He was never any good at being positive. Neither were his people skills. _Please help me not to stuff this up._ Eyes Only had helped clear his name when he'd been sued for malpractice. Eyes Only had exposed the torrid scam and even though he kept his practicing license, people just didn't treat him the same. He would have lost everything but he didn't, he owed a lot to Eyes Only and if this woman was important, well he would do all he could to make sure she survived. 

"Logan, I can tell you that the operation went smoothly, no hiccups or traumas. Although we had to do an emergency C-section, when she went into early labour, it's not uncommon. Multiple births rarely go full term. She's one tough girl, extremely lucky too. The bullet entered through the 3rd and 4th rib on her left side, missed her heart by an inch. She'll be in recovery for the next hour or so, then they'll move her to ICU. You can go and see her then." He was about to walk away when Logan stopped him. 

"Thank you, Dr. Collins. For working on her." 

"Tell Eyes Only, it's the least I could do." 

Logan held out his hand and shook the doctor's hand in gratitude. "What about the baby?" 

"You can see them in Neonatal Unit, don't be surprised at their size they're about a month premature…" Beep, Beep, Beep. Dr Collins checked his pager. "Sorry, guys, duty calls. I will check in with you in about an hour. Logan." With a reassuring slap on the Logan's shoulder, he turned and headed down toward reception. 

Max shook her head, as if trying to clear out the clutter. "Did he say, _they_?" She spoke those words aloud to no one in particular. She was still amazed that Eva was even pregnant. Who would have thought? Starting down the hall, she paused and turned around. "Hey, am I the only one that's a concerned party here? Move it!" Logan snapped to attention and hurried to catch up with her. Zack was more reluctant and made a point of dragging his feet. 

"Max, I'm warning you. Don't give Eva any ideas. You know it's hard enough trying to hide on your own, it'll be impossible with several to watch out for." Max rolled her eyes heavenward and said nothing. God help us all. She silently pleaded for Zack to keep his mouth shut, at least until Eva was well. 

They rounded the corner that lead to the Neonatal Unit. A huge glass wall was off to the left, Max apprehensively went straight for it scanning the room through the glass for Eva's babies. 

"The name?" The nurse on the other side of the wall asked. 

"Ah…Sally Wright." Logan leaned his free hand on the cool windowpane. _Get a grip, Cale. Dr. Collins will handle all the paperwork. Everything's cool. Just as soon as she's good to go, we'll be outta here._

The nurse went deep into the room, lights were dim so everything inside was just a jumble of medical equipment and tiny cribs. Pushing forward two humidity cribs the nurse turned up the overhead lights so the company on the other side of the glass could see. 

Max gasped when she saw the two tiny babies. Both had oxygen tubing taped to their noses and they weren't any larger than two of her hand spans. "Logan, they're so small." She gripped the arm of his leather jacket and squeezed it in her tightly clenched fist. Her eyes were glued to the little ones that would be her niece and nephew. 

Zack stayed silent. The second he laid eyes on the kids he knew they were his. In his heart, he'd been denying the truth. He had known all along. One look at Eva's stomach and he'd known their one night together had resulted in much more than just a small declaration of love. He turned away from the window; he couldn't look at their tiny faces a minute more. Not with the thoughts that where going through his head. He might feel a little guilty now but it was for the best. For the safety of everyone, he just had to figure out a way to tell Eva. 

Logan stared at the babies; besides being tiny they carried the trademarks of their parents. You would have to be stupid, deaf and blind not to know who the father was. The girl had a short tumble of blonde curls and Eva's bow shaped lips whereas the boy had straight jet-black hair and Zack's unmistakable chin. A pathetic little cry arose from the boy and his body began to tremble with the wails. His sister, who had been asleep, chimed in soon after. Logan turned to glance over at Zack, who looked unusually unsettled. Logan smirked to himself. _I'd like to see you get out of this one._ A sharp jab from Max brought him toppling off his high horse. 

"Logan, something's wrong!" 

When Logan turned back to the window the baby boy had turned pale shade of blue and even though he was crying it seemed that his body was getting no oxygen. "What's that?" Max pointed to a purplish rash that had begun on the baby's chest, patches slowly spread to his neck and kept spreading across his body. Max started banging on the window. "Nurse, doctor, somebody help." She continued slamming the glass. 

A nurse came running to see what the racket was all about. "What's the matter…oh lord." She picked up the phone off the wall and dialed. "Doctor, emergency in the Neonatal Unit." Dropping the phone back in its cradle, she rushed to the side of the baby's crib. Pulling on gloves, she pushed her arms through the side portals and adjusted the tubing near the baby's nose. The boy was still wailing but no sound was coming out. The nurse checked the baby's airways, all clear. She nervously shifted her weight and prayed the doctor would hurry. Gently massaging the baby's chest she hoped to draw air into those lungs. It was all in vain. The little boy seized for all of three seconds and then stopped moving all together. Maggie didn't give up, she still drew gentle outward circles over the baby's chest. 

Dr. Andrew Collins burst through the door and came to stand by Maggie. "What happened?" Maggie withdrew her arms from the crib and backed away a few steps. Never in her five years in this unit had she very experienced something so terrible. These fraternal twins seemed to tug at her heart. From the minute they were born, she felt there was something extra special about them. Now one of them was dead. 

"Maggie?" Even as he asked, Andrew put his hand inside the crib to take the baby's pulse. He was dead. Andrew took his hand away. "Calling it, time of death 03:46 hours." He shook his head slowly. They hadn't had any reason to be concerned about the babies. Besides being premature, they were perfectly healthy. Only an autopsy would show what caused the baby's early death. Infant mortality was always high for premature babies but judging from the angry marks of the baby's chest, Dr Collins was sure that this infant's death had nothing to do with that. 

Tears were streaking down Max's face. She couldn't stop them. It was taking all of her being not to break out sobbing. Never in her life had she ever seen a baby die. The first she had witnessed was her very own nephew. The tiniest most beautiful baby boy she'd ever seen. Dr. Collins didn't have to confirm anything for her, she knew the very second that his heart stopped, it was the same second that his baby sister had stopped crying. It was almost as if she knew, there was nothing more anyone could do, her brother was gone. The only evidence that remained of her trauma was little tremors that were still assaulting her body. 

Logan pulled Max close and let her bury her head in his chest. Zack just stood there looking stunned. They were all shaken up. Who was going to tell Eva? Did she even know that she had delivered two angels? Max didn't even want to think about that. She rested her chin on Logan's chest and glazed up at him through wet lashes. "What are we gonna do?" she asked even though she knew he could not possibly have the answer. Turning her head, she looked past Logan's shoulder. Zack was gone. 

  
  
  



	11. Demons

**"One Night"**  
Chapter 11  
 

**Disclaimer:** Still don't own any of it.  
**Summary:** Logan goes to a Manticore doctor for help.  
**Spoilers/Timeframe:** Occurs after "Designate This".  
**Rating:** R  
**A/N:** _Thanks to everyone who have reviewed me so far (17/1/02). I really appreciate it. I know how difficult it is to keep track of a story if it's continuing all the time. I do make an effort to keep the chapters coming. I don't think the end is far off, please keep posting comments. I need all the encouragement a girl can get._

_ I know, I know, parts of this may sound dumb. Just warning you, I'm not sure if White and Deck ever knew each other. I haven't seen the new series yet. So give the girl a break. Just read please. Then tell me if you think it was trash._

***** 

This was going to be her home. She let the sand on the beach shift through her toes, enjoying the soft grainy feel travel over her skin. Letting her feet sink into the sand, she raised her hand to shield her sensitive eyes from the sun. Looking over the great expanse of ocean, she stared into the distance where she could vaguely make out the Washington coastline. Dropping her sandals into her bag she picked up her hat. The boat had long since left. That is, if you could call a small dingy with one engine a boat. Eva pulled her bag close to her chest. It contained all the money she had and now, that money would be her only savior if this job didn't go through. 

A week ago she had run away from the only home she had, if prison was a home. Eva couldn't even recall a single instance when she had been allowed to walk in an open field, all alone and completely few. Free of obligation, free of fear, most of all free to be normal. Maybe she still wasn't normal. But at least she was in control of her future, not locked up in some lab working day and night on some weird project. Here she would find herself. 

Standing on the beach staring up the cliff-face she wondered what felt so peaceful. Danes Isle had a safe appeal to it. A quiet small island, with few people and hilly green plains, just what she had always dreamed of. Clutching the small clipping in her hand, she took her first step up the embankment leading to a small walking trail. She was answering an advertisement for a full time nurse. The position requested that the applicant have a caring and patient nature. Experience not needed. She fit the bill perfectly. The only question was would her prospective employer meet her requirements. 

As it turned out her, prayers were answered. Eva lived with Mrs. Willow, a crippled lonely widow for the next four years--till she passed on and left Eva everything she owned. Life was perfect, she couldn't have asked for anything more. Every day she would walk in the open field behind the house and just stare into the horizon, lost in thought. In the summer, she would pack a picnic lunch and lie in the small forest not far from the house and dream. During the day, her dreams were of the future, bright and always full of promise. It was only nights that tormented her. Constantly reminding her of the past, the demons that would always haunt her, someday they catch up with her. That day came far sooner than she imagined. 

~~~~  
This morning was different, she struggled to sit up and ran her hand through her tussled curly hair. _What time was is? 7.30! Oh no, Snuffy will be tearing the house apart!_ Eva jumped out of bed, not bothering with a robe she raced to the kitchen. Snuffy wasn't there. Nor was he by the front door. Heading back through the house, Eva opened the back door to check for her fluffy companion. Big mistake. 

"Don't move!" 

Three men had their guns aimed at her chest. She couldn't take all of them without getting shot so she just stood frozen. What the hell was going on? One look at the man stepping out of the van, brought it all clear, Ames White. The devil supreme, that was the only name she had for him. During her years at the government laboratory, he would often come to check on her. Monitor her work and her behavior. She stood her ground and raised her chin, defiant. They wouldn't turn her, no way. Never would she ever, work willing for them again. Once she believed in their cause, the creation of the perfect soldiers. But the corruption and heartlessness she had experienced changed her mind. They could brainwash her no longer. 

"Get her in the van." 

Before she could even react, one of the soldiers' plunged a needled full of sedatives into her neck. 

"Keep her under till we get back to the base." 

"So you decided to join us. Since our most valuable resource has returned to us, I thought I'd throw a little party and it wouldn't be a party without a few important guests now would it. But first, X5-623 where have you hidden all Manticore's research?" 

Eva pulled against her restraints. Her arms and legs were both strapped to the metal indoctrinating chair. Oh, she remembered this chair well. She was waiting for those horrid eye-openers, it was a wonder you could still blink after one session of them holding your lids. She glared at White, where the hell was Lydecker? Sure, she knew Ames White but in the past he had very little to do with any of the dirty work. It was Lydecker who took the role of personal tormentor. Something was up, she could feel it. 

"I don't know what you want. After I got out I didn't want anything that would remind me of you." 

Ames laughed, it was a cruel wicked laugh. "623, you really are naïve, aren't you. Hey, Deck, time to put on our show." 

One wall, which had been black, lit up to display an adjoining room. 

"It's been a long time, Eva, too long if you ask me." 

Lydecker stepped into view and in his arms, he cradled the most beautiful baby she'd ever seen. "She's perfect. You outdid yourself X5-623. With the genetics lab destroyed, it has put us back years. But this little baby is the beginning of the new generation of transgenics. Now it wouldn't be a family reunion without the father would it?" 

At his signal, a bound and sedated Zack was being dragged into the room. Eva's heart started to crumble. This was it. The minute she had seen the child, she had known instinctively the baby was hers. Now they had everything she held precious. She had made rules for herself, in order to keep safe. Never trust anyone, never let your guard down, and above all never get involved. Well she had obviously broken all the rules. Angry tears threatened to escape her lids and Eva took a calming breath in an effort to hold them back. Soldiers don't show weakness. 

This was all wrong. What was going on? How did she get in this mess? 

"I'll ask you one more time, Eva. Tell me what I want to know." As White spoke, Deck raised a gun and pointed it at a still drowsy Zack. 

Eva scanned her brain, desperately searching for the answers they were demanding. "My Zedcon research is at Naturalest Laboratories in Alaska. All my other research was at the house in Danes Isle." 

When had she had the time to visit Alaska? And how did she conceive that little baby with Zack no less. She hadn't seen him in over ten years. Something wasn't registering in her brain. The words just tumbled out of her mouth. It didn't even make any sense to her. But it seemed to please both White and Deck. 

"Now how hard was that?" He motioned a guard, something Eva didn't quite catch. The next thing she knew Zack was being collected off the floor and Deck was walking away with her baby. 

"No, let me have her. Don't take her away. Please." With tears streaming down her face she gave a strong pull on the restraints, the straps snapped giving her freedom. She punched White in the face and he crumpled to the floor unconscious. Rushing towards the door, she kicked it open and ran to the next room. 

She didn't hesitate to throw open the door. At her entrance, the guard standing by the door was knocked out cold. Zack took that opportunity to disarm the soldier dragging him and use the gun to shoot him down. Eva froze in shock, it had been years since she'd ever used a gun let alone seen one fire. Or had it. Something about the way the soldier lay sprawled in his own blood reminded her of something. 

Lydecker cleared his throat, the other occupants of the room seemed to have forgotten his presence. Both turned to see him upon hearing the sound. "Now both of you cooperate and everyone lives. You know they're coming." He pointed his gun toward the security camera above. "You've probably got ten seconds to give yourselves up quietly. What's it going to be?" When neither of them responded, he aimed the gun at the baby. "No big loss. You can always have more." 

"No…" Eva couldn't remember just when it all went to hell. But the same time she launched herself at Lydecker, someone's gun went off. She hit the floor with a hard thud, she struggled to push herself up but she didn't seem to have the strength. Looking up she saw Max, only it was Max twelve years ago. The gun was still aimed at her chest. Staring down she saw the blood oozing from her wound. Studying the face of her sister, it seemed like history was repeating itself. Only this time she was dying because Max pulled the trigger. 

"Eva, hang on." Zack was trying to pull away from his opponents. They too looked familiar. "Eva…" 

She was drifting, slowly. She'd let this all happen. It was all her fault. As her body started to shut down, she knew it in her heart that her baby would live. That it was all going to be all right, Zack would figure out a way to get out of this mess, he would take care of their baby. 

"Eva, no." Zack broke away from the X7s and threw himself to the floor beside Eva. His sudden escape brought more gunfire. 

"Stop, don't shoot." Lydecker's order came to late. Zack lay beside Eva on the floor clutching his neck. "Eva…" His voice came out gargled and Deck knew he wouldn't be around much longer. He glared at the kids who were now gathering around the couple. "Leave them." They were both beyond saving. There was nothing in the donor bank and without Eva's expertise and equipment they wouldn't survive anyway. 

As she took her last breath, a silent tear rolled down her cheek. Their child was doomed. The demons would haunt and corrupt her for all of her days. Because her parents couldn't protect her. And all because her mother broke the rules. 

~~~~If only she had just stuck to her rules. Stayed away from the others, none of this would have ever happened~~~~ 


	12. Promises

**"One Night"**  
Chapter 12  
 

**Disclaimer:** I don't have ownership of any of these characters. They belong to their respective creators, including Cameron/Eglee Productions and 20th Century Fox Studios. The story is not for sale or resale it is written solely for _Dark Angel_ fans. No money is being made from the use of these characters.  
**Summary:** Logan goes to a Manticore doctor for help.  
**Spoilers/Timeframe:** Occurs after "Designate This".  
**Rating:** R  
**A/N:** _Hahahaha she's got nothing to say. Did I freak you out with the last chapter? That last chapter was really weird, I'm not sure where that came from. Maybe it was cause I was on one to many Strepsils. They did say only one every two hours…___

_If you don't remember, this is my first fanfic. How's it so far? Feel free to write me anytime, I will reply. _

***** 

Max watched over Eva as she slept. No doubt, she would be asleep for quite sometime yet. Three hours had passed since Eva had been moved to ICU. Max watched the slightest movement of Eva's eyes. A single tear escaped the tight lids and rolled aimlessly down one smooth creamy cheek. She got up out of her seat and gently brushed the moisture away. 

Eva felt a feather light touch brush her skin. Where was she? Was she in heaven, did heaven even exist for experiments like her? She never saw herself as human, no matter how much she might look like one. Human's didn't have weird urges or get resurrected like she had. She blinked and let her eyes focus, Max was standing above her, with a solemn look on her face. Eva bolted upright. Adrenalin coursing through her body. "Where is she?" 

"Eva, calm down." Max pushed her gently back. She checked that her IV was still in place. It was a wonder she hadn't ripped it out. "How did you know it's a she?" Max scanned Eva's face for some kind of response. Eva just lay there staring blankly at the wall. 

So, it was all just a bad dream. Funny, they always happened at night. What frightened her so much was that this one had seemed all too real. "In my dream, Lydecker took our baby. We couldn't protect her because I got Zack and myself killed." 

Max squeezed Eva's hand, "It was just a dream. Besides, Lydecker doesn't work for Manticore anymore. He helped blow the genetics lab. They want his ass just as bad as they want ours." Max gave a small grin at the thought. Her smile faded quickly upon remembering all of their loss. "How do you feel?" 

Eva ran a tentative hand over her chest. She winced when her fingertips ran over the wound. "It's healing fast but it's still a little tender." She looked up into Max's sad brown eyes. Max had smiled before but it never reached her eyes. "Tell me what happened?" She couldn't recall much beyond the point when she'd punched her assailant in the leg to stop him shooting anyone else. But she could have sworn that Zack had been there, she heard him speaking to her. What he said, she couldn't quite remember. 

"You had two beautiful babies. A boy and a girl, there were so tiny, Eva." When Max saw Eva's eyes begin to water, she couldn't stop her own. It started all over again and they fell freely down her face. "The little boy is dead. They aren't sure what happened yet. Logan's with the doctor now." 

"Thanks for coming, Max. I think we all would have died if you hadn't have come." She must have been out for several hours because now as she sat up again. She still felt weak and a little light-headed. "I want to see them, Max." 

Max nodded and helped Eva stand. Taking the drip stand with them, they slowly made their way to the Neonatal Unit. 

******  
"Sorry we forgot about you boy." Zack ruffled the Alaskan's coat. In their haste and panic, they'd forgotten all about Snuffy. Who'd just waited patiently in the hospital car park, anticipating someone's return. 

After witnessing his son die, Zack couldn't face them all. He doubted if he even able to see Eva. After what he'd been thinking? In a way, hadn't he wished the babies to die? He hated himself for that. _"We have to get rid of it."_ He had said those words and meant them. Now fate had answered his wish. Zack smirked, good thing he didn't know it was twins. Or now he'd be childless. He wanted that baby girl, as badly as he needed his next breath. He knew that now but he just couldn't find the words to express his feelings. Whatever was to happen, he knew that if Eva heard the words he had said, she would never forgive him. 

"Thought you'd be here." Logan rounded the back of the van to find Zack and Snuffy sitting together on the cold tarmac. 

"So what happened?" Zack tried to sound indifferent but his voice came out slightly husky. "I meant about the kid." 

"His blood vessels collapsed, causing mass bruising. He was bleeding beneath the skin. They're saying that he was veins and capillaries never properly developed. Doc says it's a wonder be even took his first breath." Since Zack was playing it cool and unfeeling, Logan thought he would join in. "You got your wish," Logan said icily. 

Zack's eyes flashed with anger. "Don't even try to hang that on me." He got to his feet and brushed off his pants. "You know what, Cale, don't stick it where it's not wanted." 

Logan wasn't letting Zack get off lightly. There was way too much water under the bridge for him to just walk away. "You've still got another kid, Zack. Yeah, I know that they're yours." Zack had stopped walking but he hadn't turned around. "How can you walk out on her?" 

Little did Logan know his statement held more than one meaning for Zack. He had left Eva in Seattle after spending the night with her, now he was contemplating the same action. 

Logan remained silent. He had said all he wanted to say. There was nothing more that he could come up with to persuade Zack to do the right thing. Snuffy sat beside him looking lost, it was almost as if he was confused. Who should he follow, stay with Logan or go with Zack. Still he sat looking between the two. 

Instead of walking out into the early morning darkness, Zack turned at walked back toward the hospital entrance. He wouldn't leave without talking to Eva first. He owed her that much. Maybe a lot more…but it was a start. 

******  
Eva and Max stood at the window looking at the little baby on the other side. They had come from seeing Dr. Collins and baby Jed. Jedidiah, 'Jed' for short. The baby they had lost. The good doctor had smiled when Eva told him the baby needed a name. He assured them both that it was a good idea. 

As Eva stared at her little girl, she was amazed at how accurately she had pictured her. Her arm shivered involuntarily and Max gave her a worried look. 

"You okay?" Max gently squeezed Eva's hand. Her other arm was supporting her around the waist. 

"In my dream she looked just like this. She's so perfect. Her name is Zara. She'll be my little princess." Eva put her hand on the glass window. As if a connection could made between mother and daughter through any separation. "Max, I want to leave now." 

"But you just had major surgery." 

"I know but I don't want to stick around. Those guys can't be far off and I have my baby to look out for now." As she spoke, Eva quietly slipped into the room and was carefully lifting her daughter out of the crib. Wrapping her warmly, Eva crept out of the room just as stealthily as she went in. 

"I hope you know what your doing. Cause I won't be responsible for anyone getting hurt." 

Eva knew what she was implying--her catching pneumonia or little Zara dieing, too. "We'll be fine, as soon as we get as far away from Alaska as possible. Max, you go find Logan and meet me outside." Eva watched as her sister hurried down the hall in the opposite direction. "Max…" Max turned around before she reached the bend. "I love you." 

"Everything will be okay, Eva, I promise." That said she turned the corner and disappeared. 

"Well, baby girl, mommy's going to stick to her rules this time. We don't hurt those we love. And mommy's big trouble for her family. We'll be fine, you and me." Eva bent and kissed Zara's smooth soft forehead. Shifting the baby in her arms, she detached her IV. She would have to find something warmer than hospital scrubs too or they wouldn't be getting very far. She still felt a little weak but in a few hours, she'd be back to her old self again. She just needed a good rest, it would happen just as soon as they were both safely out of Alaska. 

******  
"Logan. I've been looking all over for you." Max opened the van door and got in. Logan was sitting behind the wheel. Looking pleased with himself. "What's got you all cheerful?" 

"Oh nothing. Just that this is all going to turn out okay." 

Max smiled, she couldn't help it. His grin was always infectious. "What makes you say that?" 

"Zack decided to talk to Eva." 

"Zack? I forgot all about Zack. Wait here." 

"Max…" Logan spoke to thin air. Max had slammed the door and was hurrying back toward the hospital. "Just great. All these supercharged transgenics. They don't realize that us average humans move a little slower. Yep, I'll just wait here and twiddle my thumbs till you get back." He thumped the wheel in frustration. Why did he always feel like he was being left behind? Just as he was about the get out to follow Max, he noticed something lingering in a second story window. He saw a figure dressed in baggy clothing with a bundle strapped to their chest. As he watched, the person jumped from the sill and landed on their feet in the snow. "Here we go." Getting out of the van he headed over as fast as his new legs would carry him. 

Eva had dropped gracefully from the small height to her freedom. She had raided the staff change rooms and found suitable cold weather gear to wear. Just as she was about to take off someone grabbed her from behind. Instinctively she threw her elbow into her attacker's stomach. He groaned. 

"Eva. It's me, Logan." He managed to choke out, he was still holding his abdomen. 

Eva's hands flew to her mouth. "I'm sorry, you shouldn't grab people like that." Moving in close she pulled his hands way, softly she prodded his stomach. "Does it hurt bad?" 

Logan flinched and pulled away. "I'll live. Where were you going? No, tell you what, come with me." He didn't wait for her to answer. He just grabbed her hand and dragged her along to the van. 

"Logan, I'm doing this for everyone. I can't say with you guys, not in Seattle. I'll be fine, just as soon as I get out of here." In the cold morning air, each breath produced as warm mist. Her nose and cheeks were turning a dusty pink. 

"Eva, you're a smart woman. How far did you think you'd get out here?" Logan raised an eyebrow when she remained quiet. "Did you even consider telling Zack that you were planning on doing a disappearing act? What about Max?" 

Eva looked at her sleeping baby, huddled in her warm makeshift pouch of woollen blankets. "I didn't know he was here." 

Zack and Max came running out of the hospital towards them. As they approached, Eva silently pleaded with Logan, "Don't tell them. Promise?" She looked into his honest blue eyes. 

"I'll never say a word." 

"We thought you'd gone." Max said accusingly. "After I found Logan in the van alone, I remembered what you said. I love you. Almost like goodbye." She threw her arms around her sister and hugged her, minding not to squeeze the baby. "Promise me you'll never pull something like that." 

Zack stood to the side watching his siblings. Two women, he loved them both. Now how did a man manage that? Part of him would always love Max, even though she would never be his. But Eva, she gave her heart and soul to him and what could he offer her. 

"Zack?" Eva went to him. She searched his eyes for some indication of his feelings. She found nothing, it was silly of her to think that she would. He was always the best at conquering interrogation. He buried everything so deep that he could almost forget he ever knew or cared for anything. "Zack, you have a daughter, Zara." She pulled part of the blanket open to revel their sleeping child. 

"Will you forgive me, Eva?" 

A flash of sadness crossed his eyes and Eva reached to pull him close. "You've never done anything that needs forgiving. Zack, you didn't ask for this. I didn't ask for any promises and I'm not expecting any now." When she pulled him into a hug, he didn't pull away but a few moments passed before he returned her embrace. 

"I want to be with you, Eva. I do need you, maybe I should have said that before. I just don't believe in making promises I can't keep." He drew her even closer till their foreheads touched. Looking deep into her eyes he spoke with all the feeling he held inside. "I'll be there for both of you. Always." 

Eva's broken heart was starting to mend. After that nasty nightmare, her heart had shattered into a thousand pieces. She had concluded that the only way she would survive was to leave her family behind. To protect them she would have to leave them. She certainly never wanted Zack to feel pressured into being committed to her, that was the final pushing point. Never in her wildest imagination did she ever believe Zack would care for her. Maybe it wasn't love, like she loved him but at least he needed her. 

Zack ran a finger down Eva's cheek and across her rosy red lips. She looked so pretty with her pink cheeks and her messy curls framing her face. When she smiled, a million images of her flashed across his mind; Eva in Crash about to seduce a poor unsuspecting fool, in Logan's baggy shorts, after they just made love. _Did he call it that? No, but he felt it now._ And Eva, as he cradled her in his arms, thinking he was going to lose her. He looked down at her beautiful face; her perfectly shaped nose, kissable luscious lips, big clear brown eyes, and full of love for him. "We'll work this out." 

"I know we will." 

In the cold morning mist, above their sleeping child's head, they sealed their love for each other. 

~*~*~The End~*~*~

~~~ A/N: I finished it...hooray…if I didn't finish this chapter today. Who knows when this story would have ended? Cause it's back to work Monday and I wouldn't have to time to even think about writing. Thanks to those who stuck with me, I hope you loved the story.


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